With You and Without Them
by chakotayka
Summary: Katara is less than happy when she moves with her father and brother. She's left her friends, her home, and her school. Starting over at a new place is always hard, but everyone seems to be relatively nice and accepting. Everyone except a scarred teenager. Modern
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! So I don't know if anyone here ever read fanfictions on Nick's website but that is where I originally posted this.** **For that reason though, the chapters are a little short because that website had a word count limit.** **Anyway, I wrote this a while ago and thought I might as well put it up here too. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this and reviews are always welcome. Enjoy!**

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"I can't believe you're doing this to me!" I screamed, which in a tightly packed car isn't the greatest idea.  
"He's doing this to me too, Katara, and you don't see me trying to blow out his eardrum."  
I glared at my brother Sokka, and he scrunched away from me.  
"Katara," my father soothed, "It isn't like I had any choice. My job transferred me. Besides, now we live near your grandmother, so you won't have to be at home alone."  
"We didn't mind being at home alone, did we Sokka?"  
"Well, not really, but at least I won't have to try and cook things, I'll let Gran do it."  
"You're such a pig," I said, angrily. Why couldn't he just back me up? "Besides, I made your food anyway."  
"And now you won't have to. See? Everyone's happy."  
"It won't be that bad Katara," my dad said.  
"Oh, really? None of my friends are here."  
"You'll make new friends," Hakoda said.  
"You only had two in the first place," Sokka said.  
I growled at him, scaring both him and myself.  
"Everything will be fine."  
We pulled our car into a driveway and the movers pulled right behind us.  
"Katara, Sokka, why don't you two go explore the house. I'll talk to the movers."  
He threw the keys to me as I climbed out of the car. I caught them easily by the key ring.  
The house had a reddish brick and was easily twice as big as our other house. The yard was small, though. We didn't even have a full acre.  
I walked to the door which had a small glass window in a half circle. I slipped the key into its hole and walked in.  
There was a room to the right and a room to the left. There were no doors to separate the rooms. There wasn't even hinges that doors could go on. In front of me and slightly to the left were carpeted stairs and slightly to the right was a hallway with a dark wooden floor. I walked through the hallway. To the right was a large room that was two stories high. A railing separated the two rooms along with a step. The rooms looped around and I came back to the front door. I climbed up the stairs. I found a few bathrooms, and other carpeted rooms that I assumed would be our bedrooms.  
The house was eerie in a way. With absolutely no furniture and no paint, I couldn't even envision living here.  
When I scurried back down the stairs, boxes had already crowded into the hallway.  
I sighed as I watched the men move the rest of our stuff into the house and where they needed to be.  
When they were done, I realized I had wasted my afternoon watching people bring in boxes, making sure they didn't drop my stuff. I looked down at my watch. 6:00.  
I sighed, walked over to Sokka, grabbed the knife he had used to open a box, and ripped through the packaging. Inside were sheets for my bed. I pulled the blue fabric out of the box and strolled up the stairs.  
My bed and furniture were already in my room; my dad had paid extra for that. I made my bed, and went back downstairs, grabbing another one of my boxes and putting stuff away.  
At about eight, I flumped onto my bed. Moving had taken a lot out of me. Plus, there was the time difference. I had originally lived in the east coast and now I had moved to the west coast. Three hours seemed to make a big difference.  
I laid down on my bed and stared at the cream ceiling. I hadn't put my posters yet or anything. This house felt so foreign.  
I didn't even want to imagine what would happen at school tomorrow. It wouldn't be the first time I had switched schools in the middle of the year and it wouldn't be the last. But the last time I had moved was when I was five. Kids were more accepting then, and I was friends with pretty much everyone. But I had two best friends that I considered my family. Aang and Toph. I couldn't stand leaving them behind. It was so hard to loose friends. To loose family.  
Hot silent tears ran down my face and I wiped them away with my palm. My phone rang on the dresser and I sniffled as I reached for it. Toph. I don't think it could physically possible to open the phone faster than I did.  
"Toph!"  
"Hey," Toph replied.  
I wiped the last remaining tear. "I already miss you," I said.  
"Oh, I miss you, too."  
I heard another phone click. "Hey Katara," Aang's voice popped up. "We're on Toph's home phone. I miss you so much. What's your house like?"  
"Big. At least twice as big as my old house. Yet my room is almost the same size."  
"You mean it's big?" Toph said with a laugh.  
I shrugged. Not that they could tell but I still did. "I guess."  
"And what's the weather like there?"  
"It's hot and sunny."  
"If you just ignore all the negatives," Aang started.  
"You'll have lots of fun!" Toph finished.  
"Without you guys? I don't think so."  
There was a pause and I heard someone yelling in the background.  
"My mom's forcing us to get off the phone, but call us after you come home from school. We want to hear all about it. See ya, Katara"  
"Bye Toph."  
"Bye," said Aang.  
"Talk to you soon," I said.  
I closed my phone and buried my face into my pillow and let the tears come.


	2. Chapter 2

My alarm rang and I got up languidly. I stretched my arms and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I pushed my covers off me and clambered out of bed.  
Yawning, I walked to my door and threw it open. It hit the wall with a bang. Now, I knew Sokka would sleep through that. He could probably manage to sleep through a stampede running through his room. The only way to wake him was to go into his room, and gently shake him, the way our mother used to wake us. So, that's exactly what I did. I shook, he yawned, I left and he got up. Simple.  
I went back in my room and sauntered over to bathroom. My own private bathroom with a marble tub and my own shower, and marble floors, and marble counters. I sighed. There was way too much marble in this bathroom for me. Plus, everything echoed. I could even hear my footsteps float back and forth between the walls and floors.  
I threw water on my face, and brushed my teeth. You know, all the normal morning stuff.  
I put on some clothes, and looked out the window. It looked like a nice day and since I knew Sokka wouldn't be ready yet, I decided I would walk.  
This school was absolutely huge. Students pushed their way through the crowd and I assumed that if I wanted to get anywhere on time, I would have to do the same. I began shoving my way through, saying sorry when I could.  
I got inside the office and got my class schedule. They asked me where Sokka was and I told them he would be here shortly. They told me that one girl was in almost all of my classes and had agreed to show me around. I shrugged, but truly I couldn't have been more relieved.  
The girl walked in only moments later, wearing a light green shirt with a darker green jacket and white pants. "Hi," she said, "I'm Suki."  
"Hey, my name's Katara."  
"Our first class will be starting soon. Did they assign you a locker? I could help you find it."  
"Oh, yeah, that would be great! Let's see." I pulled out the piece of paper with the number written on it. "It's number one hundred and thirty seven."  
"That's the empty locker near me!" Suki squealed.  
I smiled.  
"I'll show you where it is," she offered.

After Suki had shown me my locker, the bell rang and we had to get to class. Suki wasn't in two of my classes and the first period happened to be one of them. I had been pushed ahead on some of my classes: math and biology.  
I hesitantly walked into the room.  
"Ah," the teacher said. "You must be the new student. Your name?" he asked as he searched for a book I could use.  
"Katara Water," I responded.  
He handed me the book. "Well, I'm Mr. Anderson and welcome to my class. Let's see. The only seat available is the one next to Zuko," he pointed to the tan seat next to a threatening looking guy with a large scar covering the left side of his face.  
I nodded and walked over to my seat. I awkwardly sat down next to him.  
"Katara, you can copy Zuko's notes to see what we're doing."  
I looked over at the boy and his notes. The paper was blank except for doodles. Zuko glared at me and I pretended to write things down from his page.  
The next fifty minutes were the most awkward in my life. I could feel Zuko's glare burning into me and I was afraid to look at him, so I took all my notes and made sure that one hundred percent of my attention was focused on the class, even if it was just review.  
When the class ended, Zuko looked down at my notes, rolled his eyes, and mumbled something under his breath before leaving.  
There was about three more classes before lunch and I sat with Suki and all of her friends. They asked me about practically everything. What was my school like before? Who were my friends? What were my hobbies? Who did I have a crush on? All that stuff and while they learned about me I learned about them.  
Sokka grabbed my arm and pulled me aside. "Who's that girl you were sitting with?"  
"Which one?"  
"The cute one," Sokka answered.  
"Only one's cute?" I asked with a laugh.  
Suki walked over. "You coming Katara?"  
"Her," Sokka mumbled, low enough for only me to hear.  
"Suki, this is my brother, Sokka. Sokka, this is my friend, Suki."  
"It's very nice to meet you." She held her arm out for him to shake it and he grabbed it without a second thought.  
"Nice to meet you, too." Minutes passed by as they looked at each other and continued shaking the other person's hand.  
"We have to get to classes," I reminded her.  
"Oh, yeah, right," she said, releasing Sokka's hand. "Let me see your schedule." I handed to her and she groaned. "We don't have this class together either. But come on. That room's over here."  
She grabbed and dragged me to my class. Before she opened the door she said, "Gosh, your brother's cute."  
I grimaced and opened the door as she walked away. One good thing about being new is that you aren't really expected to be there right on time; you're still finding your way around.  
"You must be the new student," the teacher said, standing up. "I'm Mrs. Walker."  
"I'm Katara."  
"Nice to meet you. Here's your book," she said, handing it to me. "The only seat left is next to Zuko."  
Zuko scowled. Great. My biology partner for the rest of the year is some guy that hates me just for being forced to sit next to him.  
I nodded and walked to me seat, holding my book like it was a life preserver and I was stranded in the middle of the ocean.  
He stared and I glared back. Mrs. Walker talked in the front of the class, but what she was saying, I had no idea.  
We almost made it through the whole class. Five minutes before class ended, we both simultaneously stood up and screamed, "What's your problem?"  
Mrs. Walker turned around and looked at us both. "Excuse me?"  
"He keeps staring at me like he wants like he wants to kill me or something!" I shrieked.  
"She kept glaring at me!"  
"You two have-" The bell cut her off and I raced out of the classroom.


	3. Chapter 3

At the end of the day, I let Sokka drive me home.  
"The first day and you almost get into a fight!"  
"Sokka, I didn't start it."  
"This guy I met, named Haru, he has a burn mark from a fight he got into with Zuko. He said it was the most painful thing that had ever happened to him. He said he felt like his arm was on fire, even though there was no fire there."  
"He's probably just over exaggerating," I replied.  
"Just stay away from him, Katara. I don't want you getting hurt."  
"How can I stay away from him? I have to sit next to him in two of my classes! And it's not like I did anything! He hated me from the beginning, I swear!"  
It was quiet for a few moments before Sokka said, "Your friend is cute."  
I nodded. "You've already forgotten about Yue?"  
"I'll never see her again," Sokka replied with a sigh. "But she was beautiful." He paused. "Katara, I think I loved her."  
"Did you tell her that?" I asked.  
"No, I was too nervous."  
We pulled into the driveway as Sokka's phone rang. He picked it up. "What?" I think Sokka stopped breathing. "No, no, no, it can't be." There was a pause as the person replied. "How?" Tears began running down his face and he covered his eyes with his hands. "When's the-?" The person on the other end replied. "Why is it so soon?" His sobbing became louder. "I won't be able to make it by then." There was a very short reply. "You did this because you don't want me to be there! Didn't you?" He wiped tears from his eyes. "Goodbye," he said coldly.  
I stayed silent as Sokka regained his composure. "So," I said. "Who was that?"  
"Yue's father."  
"What happened? You sounded really upset." I really had never seen Sokka cry; something tragic must have happened.  
"Yue died in a car crash."  
"Oh, Sokka, I'm so sorry." I wrapped my arms around my brother and let him cry on my shoulder. It was the least I could do for him. He had lost someone he loved. I had only lost a friend, but I was still crying on the inside.


	4. Chapter 4

Sunshine peeked through my blinds and I tossed onto my other side and pulled my pillow over my eyes. My alarm rang loudly and I smacked my hand against it. Getting up today was not on the top of my To Do List.  
But I found myself getting up anyway, my rebellious legs dragging me to the bathroom.  
My hair was thrown in a messy knot on top of my head and I found myself dragging a brush through it. I eventually tamed it, but still it seemed it easy to pull it into a braid today.  
I pulled a blue shirt on and faded jeans. Sokka was already up and he had already eaten.  
"Are you-" I started to ask.  
He cut me off. "I'm doing just fine."  
I shrugged as I grabbed a banana. "Can you drive me to school today?"  
"Yeah," he replied, looking down at the table.  
I didn't know what to say, but I still ended up walking over to him, and embracing him in a hug. "I'm sorry, Sokka."  
After that, he drove me to school. It was a silent awkward ride, but I didn't try and bring up any conversation for two reasons.  
One: He was mourning and I figured that he could do that any way he wanted. If he wanted to talk, I would be there but if he preferred silence then I was fine with that too.  
Two: Even if he did want to talk about absolutely nothing besides small chit chat to get his mind off Yue, I wouldn't know what to say. I guess something dumb like…the weather?  
We pulled into the parking lot and I jumped out of the car. "I'll see you later than, Sokka."  
He nodded.  
I met up with Suki and she took me to biology class again before leaving with a wave.  
One empty seat next to Zuko. I groaned. This day was going to be just fabulous.  
He didn't say anything to me and I didn't want to or need to talk to him. He ignored me completely and I followed his lead and ignored him back.  
Zuko closed his book up a minute before the bell should ring and the second it actually did, he took off from his seat and made record time out the door.  
I sighed. I would never understand why he hated me.  
Suki was waiting outside of my class. "Hey, how did it go?"  
"Zuko hates me and I don't know why. I haven't even said one word to him."  
"Maybe that's why," Suki suggested.  
I shrugged. Who knew?

The rest of the day went by smoothly just as I suspected it would. But learning was the last thing on my mind; Zuko was. That was not what I suspected. I had no idea why my mind would wander to him. Why did it bother me so much that he hated me? I had no idea, but it was annoying. I had to ask. But how could I? Should I just go up to him and ask what I had done to anger him? Or should I ask if he was always such a jerk?  
Personally, I preferred the second, but there was no way I was going to say that.  
When I made it to Biology, I learned that Zuko had gone home because of stomach sickness.  
More like feigning stomach sickness.  
So as I left that class, I was filled with relief. Maybe the guy would be sick tomorrow too. If I could only be that lucky.  
The rest of the classes blew by, and I leaned against Sokka's car as I waited for him. He came up only minutes after I had arrived with a very tan boy with long dark hair and a flashing white smile. Wearing all different shades of green that all complimented his skin and his light green eyes, this guy was incredibly handsome. I blushed deeply.  
"Hi," he said shyly.  
"Haru, this is my sister, Katara. Katara this is Haru," Sokka said, gesturing to us with his hands.  
"Hi," I stuttered.  
He stuck his hand out and I shook it. "Nice to meet you." He smiled warmly and opened his mouth as if to speak but Sokka elbowed him. "Oh, Sokka wants me to show you this." He started to pull his long sleeve away from his arm. "I got this from a fight with Zuko."  
His arm was scarred from at least a third degree burn. Red and deformed, it was painful looking. I shivered. "How can you get that from a fight? Did he have a torch or something in his hand?" The question sounded dumb even to me, but I had to ask.  
"No, we just had the fight in the hallway. He didn't have anything on him. He never does when we fight or when he fights anyone else."  
"Oh, you get in fights with him a lot?" This guy was cute but for me a bad boy was a turnoff.  
"When we first met, he would say really rude things, and I would give him it back. Then he'd attack me. From then on, I stayed out of the guy's way. One comment and the guy blows up, even if there's a rumor being spread around about him and people blame you for starting it-even though you didn't-he'll beat you up. He's crazy. He has three friends, but I don't know how they stand him or how they don't come out burned." Haru shivered and I don't think it was from the cold air.  
"Is that how he got that scar on his face?"  
"No one knows how he got that. But you should stay away from him, okay?"  
"Don't worry. I'm not planning on saying a word to the guy."  
"Good. I don't want you getting hurt."  
Was it just me or did it seem like Haru was inching closer to me? Or was I moving closer to him?  
"Want to hang out sometime?" he asked.  
"I'd love to," I replied softly.  
Sokka cleared his throat and Haru and I jumped away from each other, blushing deep red.  
"Saturday?" Haru asked, backing up.  
I nodded. "I see you later."  
He smiled and left with a wave.  
Sokka murmured, "At least it's him and not Zuko."


	5. Chapter 5

Saturday came quickly, and before I knew it I was pulling Sokka into my room to help me pick an outfit. He squirmed away from me, and pleaded, "Katara, I don't know anything about clothes; you don't want my advice."  
"Yeah, but you know Haru. What do you think he'll like better?" I held up a soft blue shirt with a dark navy jacket and jeans and a light white shirt with a dark navy skirt.  
"I don't think he'll care," Sokka replied as he quickly scurried out of my room and closed the door behind him.  
I ended up picking the blue shirt and jeans, and I began to put them on.  
Unluckily, Zuko had been there the rest of the week. We sat next to each other in awkward silence – awkward to me at least – during the classes we had to and avoided each other in the hallways. I couldn't understand his reason for loathing me, but his hatred was almost palpable.  
I brushed my hair and left it hanging down my shoulders. I didn't even have my hair loops in today. My hair seemed wavier than normal, but I ignored it, especially since right then there was a knock on the door.  
Haru was keeping it simple; we were going to the park for a long walk. I thought it was sweet; we could really get to know each other.  
I rushed down the stairs and opened the front door. Haru was there in dark pants and a green shirt. His eyes shone and he smiled shyly. "You look great," he said, his voice incredibly soft.  
"So do you," I replied. His car was in the driveway. "We're driving to the park?"  
"No, but I don't live that close to here."  
"Oh," I muttered.  
We made it to the park. The birds chirped while the squirrels and chipmunks scurried up and down the trees. A leaf fell softly to the ground.  
Haru turned to me, a sheepish grin on his face. "I hope this is okay."  
"It's perfect," I said. With nothing to do but talk, we would be able to get to know each other.  
He smiled. "Good. Some girls think it's too…" his voice trailed.  
"It's nice," I reassured him.  
"Good."  
"So, how are you adjusting to school? It must be hard coming in at the middle of the year."  
"Ugh, it is, but at least everyone's been really nice to me," I replied, but thinking about it I added, "except Zuko."  
"Don't mind him; he's a freak."  
"It was so weird. I think he started hating me the moment I walked into the classroom. Instantly, there was this tension and he just started glaring at me. And not looking at me in a good way. He looked like he wanted to kill me."  
Haru chuckled. "He might have. Be careful?"  
"Promise."  
"And besides, no one could hate you, if that actually knew you."

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 **A/N:** Hey guys! Thank you so much for the reviews and follows! I'm glad you guys are liking the story. Sorry that this was a sort chapter.

Madtay, I totally remember you! Thanks for keeping up with the story even on here.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Hey guys! So, to make up for these chapters being so short, I'm going to post three at one time! Hope everyone is enjoying this story! Reviews are always welcome!

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Tossing and turning, I lay in my bed, completely restless.

Haru had asked me out for a Tuesday. Why Tuesday? I have no idea.

I kicked my sheet and it floated to the floor. That was certainly not what I wanted to happen. I wanted a satisfying crash, a splintering of glass. I wanted to chuck something at the wall, yet I didn't know why. Everything was going great. I was going out with a really sweet guy. So, why did I feel so sad and angry and broken?

I reached to my neck for my mother's necklace, but all I felt was my soft skin. Where was it?

I flung out of bed and burst into my bathroom, my footsteps echoing hollowing on the marble. I skidded to a stop in front of the mirror.

My neck was empty, nothing there but my tan skin. I gasped, and took a step back. "Where is it?" I heard myself murmur.

My thoughts answered the question; it was gone.

A shriek caught in my throat, and I dashed out of my bathroom, through my bedroom, down the hallway and broke into Sokka's room. He twitched slightly at the noise, but was too deep in sleep to care. "Sokka!" I yelled.

He jumped a foot in the air before falling back down on his bed with his sheet landing seconds after he did. "What's wrong?"

"Mom's necklace, it's gone."

"When did you have it last?" he asked, sounding if he was talking to a toddler.

"The park," I answered. "But Sokka, you know me. I never take off that necklace."

He thought it through, but realized that I was right. That necklace hadn't left my neck for more than thirty minutes since I was five.

"Look, we'll go to the park and see if we can find it tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Sokka, I am not waiting til tomorrow," I replied stubbornly.

"Katara, if it wasn't three in the morning and if it wasn't a new moon, then maybe. But there's no way we'll find it in this blackness."

"I'm not giving up that easily." I turned on my heel and stomped toward the door.

"Katara," Sokka moaned, coming after me. He grabbed my shoulder, pulling me back.

"Get off me, Sokka," I said, twisting out of his grip.

"Katara, I'm not going to let you go on a wild goose search for our mom's necklace in the middle of the night, without any light and without any protection."

"I'll be fine, Sokka."

"Mom's necklace isn't going to grow legs and run away. It'll be right where it is tomorrow."

"But Sokka-"

"I'll tell Dad," he said cutting me off. "Now go to bed."

"It's so pointless; I won't be able to sleep."

"Please try."

He was right and I hated that, but I found my legs dragging me back to my bed, taking me there unwilling. I wanted them to stop and head towards the stairs, but my legs didn't seem like they were responding to my brain. Maybe because subconsciously I knew Sokka was right, but just didn't want to admit it. After all, if he was right that would mean that I wrong. And that's just not possible.

I chuckled at my own thought, as I climbed into my comfy bed. Tomorrow…. We'll get it tomorrow….


	7. Chapter 7

Morning seemed to come too slowly that day, and by the time we were in the park, I was so hyper that I honestly couldn't stay still. My mother's necklace was out there somewhere, and I was going to find it.

When we first walked in the park, I saw Zuko, and hid behind Sokka. He was standing next to a dark-haired girl with pale skin and red lips. She was beautiful. I groaned, not really wanting to get involved with him and his…his girlfriend maybe?

Luckily, it seemed like they were arguing about something and he yelled at her before stomping away. She followed after him and hopped into the same car as him. I chuckled; that was going to be a fun ride home.

"What?" Sokka asked.

I shrugged lightly. "Nothing."

We split up with Sokka taking the left side of the park while I took the right side.

About an hour later, Sokka called to me, "I'm going to take a quick break."

I rolled my eyes, knowing that a 'quick break' meant that he was quitting. "Whatever," I replied. This necklace didn't mean anything to him; he obviously didn't love Mom like I did. If he did, how could he give up on the last thing of hers that we had?

I searched through the rest of my side of the park and then scurried over to Sokka's side and began hunting for the necklace.

I must have searched through every strand of grass, every pebble, every twig, and every leaf at least twice and Mom's necklace wasn't there. "Sokka," I moaned. "It's not here."

He was lying lazily on a tree, and he stirred at my voice. His eyes cracked open. "Katara, it's got to be. Otherwise, it might have fallen off anywhere. Or maybe it's at home."

I sighed. "I'll check again."

And so we walked back home. I checked everywhere I could have walked after my date, and my necklace was no where. I dashed up the stairs and rummaged through everything in my room, making it look like a bomb had exploded in it.

I grunted as I flopped down on my bed.

This was hopeless. What if it was gone forever? After all, I can't find it anywhere.

I buried my head in my pillow and began weeping softly. My phone rang, but all I wanted to do was completely ignore it.

It stopped ringing, but then started again only moments after it. I grabbed it and flipped it open, mainly just wanting to get rid of the irritating sound. "Hello?"

"Hey Katara," Aang's voice said.

"I'm here too," Toph said.

"How's everything going?" Aang asked.

"Okay. I've met a lot of nice people and have some new friends."

"You're not going to replace us, are you?" Toph asked, pretending to sound hurt.

Aang added, "It doesn't sound like everything's okay."

"No, everything's great," I relied, sighing.

"What's with the sigh?" Aang asked.

"Why does it sound like you've been crying?" I groaned. How could Toph tell that? After all, I was doing my best to hide my sniffles.

"I lost my mother's necklace."

"How?"

"Where?"

"I think I lost it when I was walking in the park, but I searched everywhere and couldn't find it. Then I ripped my room apart trying to find it."

Aang said nothing but Toph asked, "What were you doing in the park?"

I blushed a deep crimson red and was so glad that we were talking on the phone and they couldn't see my blush. "I was on a date with this guy that Sokka introduced me to. He's so cute and totally sweet."

"Ugh, Sugar Queen. You've only been there a few days and yet you already have a guy."

"So, everything else is great then with your great guy?" Aang sneered.

"Well, there's one other thing that…bothers me."

"What is it?" Toph asked.

"There's this guy-"

"Another one?" Aang asked, shocked.

I ignored him. "And he totally hates me. Plus, I don't know why."

"Have you said anything that might have offended him?" Toph asked.

"I've said nothing to the guy."

"Maybe that's why," Aang suggested.

"I don't know."

"I have to go," Toph said after a few pauses of silence. "Dinner."  
I flipped around on my bed and stared at the clock which read 4:00. "Me too," Aang said. "It's around sevenish here," he reminded me.

"Right," I said. "Okay guys. Bye."

"Bye," they chorused.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning I got up. My neck felt empty, so did everything in me. I was lost without that necklace. Utterly, completely lost. I was losing my mind and my last memory of my mom.

Sokka once told me a long time that he couldn't even remember what Mom looked like. I couldn't become like that; I promised myself and her that I would never forget her. But how could I remember her when my last connection to her was gone? How could I remember that she would always be with me?

It was hard to force myself to pack the backpack and get into Sokka's car. I was able to do it, but I felt dead inside, a zombie with no thought, just doing the actions but hollow inside. By losing my mother's necklace, I had lost a part of me.

I dreaded science, only being able to concentrate on the negative instead of the positive.

Sokka dropped me off, and then went to find a parking space. I looked into the moving sea of students, a issue that was always a hassle in school.

Needless to say, in that big of a crowd, there will always be two kinds of people, the kinds who push and shove and the kinds who are pushed and shoved. I was always one to be shoved. With that many people, it was even hard to tell where I was going and who I was bumping into, but someone knocked me hard and I smashed into the girl next to me, landing on the floor near a wall.

There was a squeal seconds later. The crowds were thinning out and I could tell that I had bumped into Zuko's sister's gothic friend, but she was not the person who squealed; Zuko's sister was.

I gasped. She was looking down at her outfit, which was dripping in brown liquid. The girl I had been shoved into held…a coffee cup.

Oh crap.

The girl's shock turned to burning rage and I scooted back on the ground, trying to get away, but not to be noticed. Her glare seared right through me and I could feel my heart hammering in my chest.

Haru had said Zuko was dangerous. He was always looking for a fight, always wanting one, and every fight he was in, he won and the opponent came out…burnt.

How much different could his sister be?

She stalked closer, a lion about to pounce. I scrunched away, the helpless prey. I didn't know anything about fighting!

"Look what you did," she growled.

"I'm, I'm…I'm sorry! It was accident!"

"You filthy peasant!"

What did she call me? "Peasant?"

A girl wearing all pink grabbed the girl's arm. "Don't Azula! She didn't mean too!"

The girl, apparently named Azula, shook the girl's hands off her. "She deserves to pay," I heard her say in a devilish whisper voice. "And so she will."

My back hit the wall and I gasped. There was no where to go, and I was going to get burned.

She stalked forward as I held my breath.

The small crowd that was left had gathered a safe distance around us and it was silent. They were all holding their breath too, but we all knew this wasn't going to end well.

I was going to get hurt and we all knew it.


	9. Chapter 9

"Get away from her, Azula!"

Zuko shoved his way through the crowd, coming to my rescue. Wait. Did he realize who he was saving?

"You don't really want to fight me," she stated calmly. She was sure of herself. That was palpable. The way she stood and the way she acted were just a few indications that she was positive that she couldn't lose.

"Yes, I really do."

A nervous glint flashed in Azula's eyes. She glanced around the gathered crowd and grimaced.

Maybe she was worried that the people in the crowd would tell a teacher that she and Zuko had gotten in a fight, but really, thinking about it, I don't think that either one of them would care, especially with the way that they got into fights. At least that was what I told.

Meanwhile, as Zuko was distracting, I was scooting farther and farther away. As soon as I reached the crowd, I would be able to disappear within them and run to somewhere very far away from here.

But I knew that Azula would spot me eventually, and my scooting seemed to slow even though that was the exact opposite thing I wanted to do, considering how fast things were going with Azula and Zuko.

Zuko looked like he was about to pounce, his face calm and ready. Azula looked slightly nervous. She was looking down; she didn't have a stance. The fierce lion from before had disappeared.

"You're so lucky," she murmured to him, glancing at the crowd once more before she stomped away.

I thought that maybe, just maybe, Zuko would talk to me, say something or even smile, but I got a cold glare and my whole entire body got burning hot. He didn't offer to help me up, but just left me, staring after him, wishing that I could get inside his head and figure out what was going on.

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. Sorry about these short chapters.


	10. Chapter 10

I came into my first class. Zuko was already there and I was late. The teacher hadn't come in the classroom yet, so I don't really know if I was counted late.

"Zuko?" I asked.

He turned his head slightly and he glared at me. I have to wonder, did he really want to save _me_? Maybe he thought I was someone else.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say thank you. For saving me."

He shrugged. "It was nothing."

"Well, nothing was definitely something. To me at least."

He just stared at me.

"Thank you, Zuko."

There was a short pause and I wondered if our conversation was over. Of course, it hadn't been much of a conversation with him glaring and me rambling on and on. But still, it was better than normal.

"Your name's Katara, right?" he softly murmured, sounding somewhat shy or embarrassed.

"Um…yeah. Why?"

"I…um….found this. Well, actually my…ex-girlfriend found it. And we argued and she said I was paying too much attention to you, because there's no other way I would know what your necklace was and basically I got my ear yelled off for an hour." He shrugged. "Whatever." He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly before reaching in his pocket and pulling out my necklace. "Here."

I smiled as he handed it to me. "This is yours, right?"

"Yes, thank you, Zuko."

"Your welcome," he said and then awkwardly added in, "Katara."

We weren't as awkward in Science. Sure, we didn't say anything to each other, but at least I didn't have to worry about him killing me.

Haru met me after school as I walked home. "I heard that Zuko gave you something."

"What?" I asked.

"My friend, Jet, is in that class and he said that Zuko gave you something. I told you that you shouldn't get involved with him."

"He was returning my mother's necklace," I answered softly.

Haru looked disgusted. "What did he do? Steal it?"

I shook my head. "His ex-girlfriend found it."

"When did you lose it?" Haru asked, eyeing my necklace. "It's beautiful, by the way."

"During our walk in the park. I guess it fell off at some point."

"You ready for tomorrow?" he asked.

"Can't you tell me where we're going?"

"That would ruin the surprise," Haru said, playfully.

"I don't like surprises," I whined.

"I do."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, but if it's my surprise, don't I get to see if I want it to be a surprise or not."

Haru looked into the air thoughtfully, trying to sort out my words. "Nope, I don't think so."

And laughing, he walked away.

* * *

A/N: Hi! The last chapter was ridiculously short so I decided I would post one more (although this is pretty short as well). Yeah...anyway, review and all that good stuff. :)


	11. Chapter 11

Whether I wanted a surprise or not I got one. Haru picked me up in his car and started driving, still not allowing me to know where I was going. I groaned and moaned and complained, but he still wouldn't tell me where we were going. So, I tried another approach. I begged…and pleaded.

Surprise, surprise. That didn't work either. (Have I ever mentioned that I don't really like surprises?)

He pulled into some no name road. Businesses lined either side of the drive. What was he going to do? Take me to work?

The good news is that he didn't take me to his work. He took me to a place called Skate Land instead. And considering that there was a hockey puck on the sign, I think he was taking me ice skating.

I had never ice skated before. I have a feeling-and I'm pretty sure that I'm correct-that I will be a total klutz on the ice. First off, I'm on ice. (Put a lot of thought in that one) Second, I have to stand on a blade that's only like a few centimeters thick. And third, I was going to fall flat on my face. I just knew it.

Haru took me in by the hand and paid. They stamped our hands for the rink time and the skates and then we went to rent our skates.

They were ridiculous looking blue plastic things. They strapped onto your feet by orange buckles and yet you still had about an inch of space, so your foot could move. Haru told me that you want them as tight as you can get so you don't get blisters, but mine, oh mine, they did not get any tighter, even if I wanted them to, and take note, I did.

Haru helped me on my feet and to my surprise and his as well, I didn't fall. My ankles didn't wobble. I could walk in a straight line unlike Haru. In fact, this seemed easy. Maybe I wouldn't have to worry about standing on that centimeter wide blade after all. One problem down, two to go.

We walked through a door which led to Rink A. There were stacks of things that looked like walkers yet seemed to be made out of…plumbing. I grabbed on and placed it on the ice. Haru didn't.

I stepped onto the ice and felt myself falling already, so I grabbed the walker tightly and balanced myself. I took some baby steps and suddenly I was moving.

Haru didn't move. He fell immediately. Straight onto his face.

"Are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

He nodded and grabbed the wall to pull himself up, and then he used the wall to pull himself along.

Meanwhile, I zoomed ahead of him and circled him a few times before he finally got his balance and stumbled away from the wall only to fall on the ground. He grimaced as he got up.

I was skating by him and did my best to stop somewhere near him. "Are you okay?"

"Just fine," he answered as he pushed himself off the cold ice.

This obviously wasn't what he wanted to happen. He had probably wanted me holding onto him the whole, completely dependent on him. And I would have held his hand or something…if he hadn't kept falling.

At the very least, I stayed near him and we talked. He seemed to enjoy that, and I did as well.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi! Thanks so much to everyone who has favorited, followed, or reviewed this story! You guys are awesome! And also thanks to everyone who's reading this. Hope you guys are liking it so far!**


	12. Chapter 12

The hallways of school were empty. I was either really early or late. I turned a corner and a boy with shaggy brown hair looked up and me and pulled the cigarette out of his mouth. He was leaning against the white cinder block wall and he smiled at me slyly. He pushed himself away from the wall and came closer to me.

"So, you're with Haru?"

I nodded. "You're too pretty for him." His smile grew. "I'm Jet."

"Katara," I replied.

"Such a pretty name," he mumbled.

"Uh, thanks."

"Want one?" He held up a box.

I squinted to see the words. "Oh no, I don't smoke."

"Of course not." He shook his head. "Look, I don't want you to get hurt. You should stay away from that freaky Zuko guy. Him and his sister are no good, and I don't want to see him mess up that pretty little face of yours."

I stepped away from his, rolling my eyes. "I'm not helpless, Jet. I can take care of myself"

"So can I yet I still got this."

My stomach flipped as I looked at his deformed red skin. It was a worse burn than Haru's and a shiver ran down my spine.

"I have to get to class," I told him and hurried off.

I was late for class. I was very, very late. The teacher looked at me angrily. "Thank you for finally coming to class, Miss Water."

"Sorry," I mumbled.

I walked to my seat and to my surprise Zuko wasn't there.

* * *

Suddenly, I was worried. Math had come, and Zuko was still not here. I saw his sister. She walked through with the hallway in a stride, a triumphant grin on her lips with her friends trailing close behind her. I didn't dare ask her where Zuko was; I did not want to get anywhere near her ever again.

Why was I worried? I mean, who cared about Zuko? He was trouble, something that I definitely didn't need and something I was most especially trying to avoid. He probably just skipped school. That seems like something he would do. I think.

I sighed. I barely knew him, yet everyone had told me so much, and none of it was good. I had to wonder, where had his scar come from? It was bigger than Jet's, redder than Haru's. Sometimes I winced just looking at it. I tried not to, but it looked like something that would still hurt, its pain haunting him forever. However he got it, I'm sure it's accompanied with unpleasant memories.

The next day he came into school, his head hanging down. He looked scared. His steps were delayed, slow as if he was in pain. He sat next to me. He avoided my eye contact and unpacked his binder.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

If looks could kill, I'd be dead. Way past it actually. His glare burned, searing straight through.

"Just fine. Why?" he growled.

"No reason," I said softly and suddenly the teacher became very interesting to me. But I still looked over. He was wearing long sleeves. They were so long they covered most of his hands, but his left fingers were…burnt? They were red and exactly like the thing on his face.

He caught me looking, and wow, math sure is fun.

* * *

"Come on. Pick up. Pick up!"

I needed advice. Not Sokka's advice or Suki's or Haru's or Jet's, but good advice, completely unbiased advice. Toph and Aang didn't know Zuko. They could tell me exactly what I should do, and it would seem reasonable. They had no reason to hate Zuko. He lived on the opposite side of the country for crying out loud.

"What?" Toph's annoyed voice rang in my ear.

"It's me," I said, "Katara."

"Oh, hey. How's it going?"

"Horrible."

"What's wrong, Sugar Queen? Did you have a bad hair day?"

"What?" I asked, checking the mirror. "Of course not."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Um, how 'bout everything?" I asked.

"Is that guy who hates you? Is he giving you trouble or something?"

"He…he saved me," I admitted. "I bumped into his sister's friend which made the coffee that the girl was holding fly onto his sister, and she said I had to pay. He saved me."

"Maybe he doesn't hate you then."

"But then he glared at me the next day. Then he returned my mother's necklace."

"How did he get it?"

"His ex-girlfriend found it," I murmured. "But what's even more strange was that yesterday he wasn't there, and when he came back today his left hand was burned, and he went back to hating me."

"Wait, when did he stop hating you?"

"You're missing the point," I growled.

"Listen. If his hand was burnt, then he's probably not in the best mood. It's probably not you; he might just be in pain."

I just sat there on the sofa with the hand in my phone silently.

"Are you still there?" Toph asked.

"Yeah," I answered softly. "I was just thinking. What if more of him was burned?"

"You're starting to feel sorry for him; I can tell. It's in your voice."

I shook my head. "That's ridiculous. I don't feel sorry for him."

"Okay, sure. I've got tons of homework, so I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Sure," I answered. "Bye."

I dialed Aang's number and listened to the ringing.

"Hello?"

"Hey Aang."

"Katara!" he cried. "I've missed you!"

"Same here. How's everything going?"

"Okay. You?"

"Not so great."

"What's wrong?"

"I told you about that guy who hates me, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, he's confusing me."

"How?"

"He saved me from being beaten up by his crazy sister. Then he glared at me, but returned my necklace in the same day. Yesterday, he wasn't in school, but today he was. He was wearing long sleeves, but I still saw that his left fingers were burnt."

"You sure pay a lot of attention to this guy, don't you?"

"I asked him if he was okay, and he said he was, but I can't help but feel like there's something more going on. He has a scar on his face too. He has since I've known his. It completely covers half of his face."

"That's just creepy."

"Maybe I can help him."

"I don't think you should Katara. He seems like trouble. You should just mind your own business."

"I've got to go."

"We just started talking."

"I'll call you tomorrow. Bye."

I closed my phone. Why couldn't he and Toph give me the same suggestions?


	13. Chapter 13

I fell asleep, phone in hand. I know that because I was snuggling with it when someone called and it rang right in my ear. I jumped up about a foot in my bed, but whoever it was had hung up before I could answer. I didn't recognize the number either.

I glanced over at the clock. It was six in the morning. I guess I slept through dinner. Maybe that's why I wasn't tired but insanely hungry.

I went downstairs and made myself the grand and elaborate breakfast of cereal with milk. Then I went back upstairs and headed into my bathroom. I filled the tub with hot water and then dipped in.

I must have laid there for over a half an hour with my eyes closed and my arms behind my head to use as pillows, not tired but just trying my best to keep my mind off of everything.

Eventually I opened my eyes and dipped the tip of my finger into the water. The water rippled softly. I traced patterns of circles in the water, and then lifted my finger out of the water. I gasped; the water had followed it.

I pulled my finger back as if I had just been bitten, and the water dropped into the tub with a gentle splash.

My hands trembled as I examined them. What had just happened here?

Avoiding water all morning wasn't that hard. Of course, Sokka had to offer it to me to drink during breakfast, a meal I declined all together. Other than that, there were no problems…except that it was raining outside.

"Dad, I don't feel so good."

He tilted his head to the side and looked at me unbelievingly. "Take your temperature."

I jogged up the stairs and then jogged in place as I held the thermometer in my sweaty palm. "Come on temperature. Come on."

97.6 degrees.

Darn it. I couldn't lie. Not to my dad. But how could I go out in the rain either?

Sokka ran into my room and leaned on the doorway. "Do you have one or not?"

"No," I replied softly.

I dashed from the house and into Sokka's car, but the rain did nothing but hit my skin and then drip to the ground. Maybe it had just been a bad dream. I shook off the thought; it had been too real.

I begged Sokka to drop me as close to the school building as he could, he shrugged and pulled the car next to the curb. "Afraid of water, little sis?"

"I'm sugar. I'll melt."

"I assure you. That's not the reason you'll melt."

I slammed the door shut and rolled my eyes before running as fast as I possibly could to the school building.

Even with my quick dash towards the school building, I still walked in completely soaked. My hair hung in wet strands around my face. My clothes stuck closely to my body. Some guy whistled, and I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. I scurried to the bathroom and wrung out my hair over the sink. Then I tried to wring my clothes out. Still, they hung tightly to my body, and my hair still looked awful.

Tentatively, I grabbed a strand of hair near my face and stroked my hair through, but this time I thought about pulling the water from it. I would try anything, and I didn't have much time before class, which was probably the least of my problems considering that I was turning into some weird freak.

The water followed my fingertips. Then it just floated in the air. I gasped and pulled my hand back instantly. The water splashed to the floor.

I hesitantly leaned back toward the mirror. One strand of hair was my chocolate brown color while the rest were jet-black. I had to dry the rest of me. And so I tried and did. The water followed my hand whenever I wanted it to. It dropped when I wanted it to as well, which meant that it dropped perfectly in the sink.

Soon, every part of me was dry. And just in time. I was almost going to be late for class. I ran to class, the only person in the halls and made to class just in the nick of time. I sat in my seat, the only dry person in the whole room.

Zuko looked up from the paper he was mercilessly scribbling words on. He raised an eyebrow when he looked at me. "What? Like seven umbrellas?" he asked. His already dark hair clung to cheeks, but now it looked darker than the night. His clothes were dry though.

He kept his focus intently on me, even when the teacher walked in, seeming to try to find an answer to something. His eyes were…gold. Beautiful, sparkling gold. I had never seen anything like them before. They were…amazing…breathtaking.

I looked down at his arms, which were conveniently covered by the long sleeves of his shirt. His fingers were clasped tightly around the cuffs of the shirt, pulling it down to cover most of his hands. But I could see the red marks were still there. Mostly hidden but there.

Mr. Anderson loudly cleared his throat, and I looked up to see him staring at me…us, I suppose. He gestured to the board, and I mumbled my apology.

After class, I went to my locker and carelessly threw my books in. I was far too distracted to pay enough to where I was putting them.

Suki came up behind me, grumbling. "I'm still wet," she complained. "I hate this feeling. It's just so…" She paused. "Wait, are you dry?"

"No, of course not," I said, lying through my teeth, which actually would be easier than telling any variation of the truth.

She shrugged.

Sokka came over to us. "What's up ladies?" he asked.

"I'm soaking wet, still," Suki repeated.

Sokka laughed and began to talk to her, all of which I drowned out. My head was throbbing. I think I was getting a pretty awful headache.

I cupped my hands around my head, hoping for the light to go away.


	14. Chapter 14

I went to the nurse's office, hoping that maybe she could give me some medicine. No one was home. The bell rang, and it echoed continually in my ears. I slid down the cement wall, groaning.

"What's up with you?"

I glanced up at the sound of the voice. Zuko was looking down at me, his gold eyes focusing intently on my face.

"You weren't thinking of cutting class, were you?" he asked, tease in his voice.

"No," I stuttered. "Of course not."

"Why? Scared?" He smiled and leaned down beside me.

"No."

A classroom door down the hall closed, and I jumped, startled. "Then are you always this jumpy?"

I blushed. "I'm not cutting. My head hurts; that's it. I was hoping I could get something to stop it from pounding."

"Got medicine in my car."

"I don't know." I looked down at the floor.

"Whatever," he said, standing up. "Oh, and when someone comes by, I was never here."

He headed straight out the door. A couple of seconds later, it closed behind him. And then – head pounding – I found myself standing up and chasing after him.

I was pelted with rain the second I opened the door and took a step outside. I could feel my heart leap in my chest. Now I really was cutting class. But for good reasons, I reminded myself. I was doing this for the medicine. Then I could go back to class.  
Zuko was halfway through the parking lot. His long legs must have gotten him there. That or he was striding to his car.  
"Zuko! Wait!" I called, waving my hand.  
He must not have heard, because his pace didn't slow. He didn't even turn.  
And then I was striding after him. Or maybe you would call it sprinting. Whatever. At this point that didn't really entirely matter. My feet continually landed on the wet parking lot, which was literally swamped with water. Water splashed up the back of legs, up to my knees. Medicine, medicine, I chanted softly in my head.  
It was hard to keep my footing. I kept tripping and then catching myself again and again. He must have been going as fast as me, because every time I looked over at him, he seemed just as far away.  
But he turned. He must have heard, especially with all the ruckus I was making. I almost instantly caught up with him, and then I felt myself sliding, but this time there was no way I was going to catch myself. I fell, and I fell hard. My knees scrapped across the pavement along with my elbows. I shrieked as if I didn't know that I would fall.  
I saw Zuko snicker slightly, but he gently bit his lip and was able to help me up without laughing.  
He had offered me his hand, which I reluctantly took. It was soft and, at the current moment, cold. He pulled me to my feet, but my hand lingered in his for a second before he awkwardly pulled his away.  
He looked down at the ground with his beautiful golden eyes and then slightly looked up at me. "Really wanted that medicine, didn't you?"  
I blushed. I didn't really know why though. "Yeah."  
We continued walking at a normal pace. He slowed his down, observant of my shorter legs.  
"You know, I've never seen anyone in such a…" he paused, smiling slightly, "dire need of medicine."  
"Dire?" I asked, laughing. He just didn't seem the type to say that word.  
"Little…family joke," he answered.  
I nodded. "Well, my head really hurts, and I didn't know when that nurse would be coming by, so it just seemed like a better idea to get it from you."  
He smirked. "Sure. That's why."  
And that me blush even more.

He poured the medicine into his hand from the bottle. He handed me two pills and then threw the bottle in the backseat. I was sitting in shotgun, so that I wouldn't get anymore wet (Although that was seemingly impossible). He reached back again and handed me an unopened water bottle.

I looked down at the two pills sticking to my palm and wondered if this was really the best idea. What exactly would happen if these weren't normal pain relievers?

He turned towards me, and his gold eyes literally sparkled. I felt my hands move toward my mouth, and I swallowed the pills with a gulp and without a second thought. I followed it with water. It was like I had no control over my actions, and yet I knew or hoped I knew that nothing would happen. Was I giving him too much benefit of the doubt?

"So how does it feel to ditch class for the first time?"

"What makes you think it's my first time?"

"I can just tell." He smirked. "Can you tell me I'm wrong?"

"Truthfully?" I asked. He nodded. "No." I sighed. "It's actually not as bad as I had assumed."

"Even if you get caught?"

I looked over at him.

He shrugged. "Just saying." He glanced out the window. "You better get going."

"Sick of me already."

The corner of his mouth tilted up. "No, I just have to go back to my house and grab some stuff before the next class."

"You actually plan to show up?"

"Unless you can think of something else better to do."

My heart stuttered in my chest, skipping over some beats that it shouldn't have. I reminded myself of Haru, and I opened the handle to the door. It popped open, and I stepped into the rain. "I guess I'll see you in class then," I said, and he nodded as I walked away reluctantly.

The rain didn't seem as hardly as scary now; in fact, if anyone had asked me, I probably wouldn't have told them it was raining. I barely noticed.

It seemed pointless to go to my class. I had already missed a large portion. Wasn't it better to miss it all together than show up twenty minutes late? Maybe they wouldn't even notice I was gone.

The nurse still wasn't back, so sneaking through the front door and into the bathroom wasn't hard. The bathroom was empty, and I looked at my reflection in the mirror.

I had to wonder whether or not the water would obey me or not. It was freaky, but it did.

When the halls seemed to come back alive with noise, I left the bathroom, now without any headache whatsoever. That medicine had really seemed to work.

I pushed my way through the crowd although I was very careful I didn't run into certain people. I made it to my locker and started to grab my books.

"Hey Katara."

I closed the locker door. Haru stood behind it. "Haru," I said with a smile.

"Okay, so I'm having this party at my house Saturday, and I was hoping you would come."

"Yeah, of course, Haru," I said, the smile still plastered on my face.

"Awesome. I'll-" But the bell cut him off. "talk to you after class."

"See you."


	15. Chapter 15

Zuko was late to class. Very, very late to class. He was fortunate though. So was the teacher. Somehow Zuko made it into the classroom seconds before the teacher without being seen by her.

He didn't look up all class, not even at the board. He focused on the table and keeping his fingers tightly clasped on his shirt sleeve. He was pulling the shirt as far as he could down his arm and pushing his fingers as far as he could in. He didn't even catch me glancing at him, and I was pretty much doing that the entire class. His black hair hung in clumps on his head.

Only at the very end of class did he look up. It was straight into my eyes. His golden eyes emitted only pain, and I knew something was wrong.

We were the last ones to leave class although we had not said a word to each other since I had left his car and he had gone home. We walked side by side out of the classroom, and the only thing I noticed once I stepped into the hallway was the snickering face of his sister.

* * *

I woke up the next morning, thinking of only two things. One was what had happened to Zuko yesterday and the second was about Haru's party: Was Zuko going to be there? There was something about him that just…intrigued me? I don't what it was. Everything about him seemed…mysterious and dangerous. I had never really met anyone like him. The dangerous person in my old school was probably Toph and then maybe Aang after her. Not very scary or mysterious to say the least, especially considering that they're my best and closest friends.

I got ready for school, and Sokka drove me to school like usual.

When math came that morning, I slid into my seat next to Zuko. His sweatshirt covered his arms and hands again, but I shrugged it off.

"So are you going to Haru's party?" I asked, secretly hoping that he was.

"Wasn't invited," he replied curtly.

"What?" I stuttered. "Why wouldn't he invite you?"

"Haru and I have never really gotten along."

"Oh yeah, I forgot."

He shrugged. "Like I care. I have other plans that night."

I smiled. "Well, that's good, I guess. But it's too bad you aren't going to be there."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

I blushed. "Um, yeah, you know…uh," I stuttered. And then, thank goodness the teacher came in.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, this is a really short chapter. Sorry about that. But I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far!


	16. Chapter 16

Saturday morning came. I got up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes before getting dressed and heading downstairs for something to eat. Haru was on the answering machine, telling me a little bit more about the party. It started at three. The pool was open, so I should bring a bathing suit, but that wasn't all there was to do. He listed about a million other things, so I assumed that I should bring some shoes besides flip flops so I could run.

Three wasn't that far away. I had slept in. It was two now.

I put a bathing suit underneath my clothes, packed tennis shoes in a bag with a towel and slipped into flip flops.

"Sokka!" I called out.

"What?" he asked, annoyed.

"Can you drive me to Haru's party?" I asked.

"Why should I?"

"Suki's going to be there."

"Let's go!" he said and started rushing down the stairs. He dashed back up the stairs. "What am I going to need?"

"Your car keys," I replied dryly.

"I meant for the party."

"No one invited you Sokka."

"I invited myself."

I rolled my eyes. "Towel, bathing suit, and shoes to run in."

Sokka practically jumped up and down. "I'm going to be able to see Suki in a bathing suit!" he squealed.

Suddenly, I was the one that was slowing us down. Sokka couldn't get out of the door fast enough.

* * *

Haru had set up an incredible, out of this world party, or maybe he just always had these things around, but that seemed almost too unbelievable.

Sokka had to park at the end of the long driveway. It was the only space left, so we had to walk up the hill to get to the party. In the front of the house, there were fields with horses of all colors roaming in them. On the side of the house was a volleyball court and a fence.

I dashed up the rest of the hill and opened the gate. A huge pool laid beyond the gate with at least forty people in it. Beach balls flew through the air. A fire pit was overflowing with sodas. Down another small hill, there was a trampoline and skateboard ramps.

"Hey!" Haru yelled excitedly. He ran up to us. "You made it." He looked over at Sokka whose eyes were huge with excitement and was yanking off his shirt to jump in the pool where Suki just happened to be swimming.

I laughed. "I hope you don't mind. When I asked him to drive me here, he kind of invited himself."

"No, it's fine. I'm just glad you made it."

"This place is incredible."

"Wait 'til you see the game room."

"Where's that?"

He pointed a two story building which I had assumed was the garage. "It's in the loft."

"Cool."

Someone called his name. "Excuse me for one second."

I nodded. "Of course."

I walked over to the pool. Suki was still swimming alone. I wondered where Sokka was and why he wasn't talking to her.

I took off my bathing suit and walked into the pool. "Hey Suki."

"Hi! Isn't this party great?"

"Yeah, it is."

"The game room is amazing. You have to check it out!" she squealed.

"I will."

She smiled brightly. It was then that I realized where Sokka was. He was holding the side of the pool near the diving board, staring dreamily at Suki and almost drooling.

"Will you excuse me for a second?" I asked Suki. She nodded, and I waded over to Sokka.

"What are you doing?"

He shrugged.

I pushed his jaw up to close his mouth. "You're refilling his pool, that's what." I sighed, "Why aren't you talking to her? She's all by herself." I glanced over at Suki who was giggling with some guy.

"No, she hasn't been. Guys just keep talking to her. She doesn't care about me."

"Sokka, she laughs at your jokes when no one else does. She must like you a little bit because she's not stupid."

"Hey, my jokes are funny!" he defended.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course they are. Now go!" I pushed him away from the wall, and he took stumbling steps toward her.

I put my hands on the side of the pool and pulled myself out. I wanted to check out that cool game room that everyone kept talking about.

"Hey gorgeous." I spun around. Jet was looking at me approvingly, his hand on his hip.

"Um, hello," I replied awkwardly. I didn't really like the look he was giving me. "I have to go. Will you excuse me?" Then I added, "Just for a moment."

I left the pool area and began walking to the game room and that's when I thought I saw Zuko in the trees.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" I whispered harshly to Zuko after I had ventured out into the woods.

"It was on my way."

"On your way to what?"

"Honestly?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and then sighed. "My uncle's in town. He just retired from the army, and I haven't seen him since I was little."

I smiled. "Then what are you doing here?"

He rubbed his forehead and then his nose before sighing and sitting down. "I'm not sure what to say to him."

I snorted. "I know you haven't seen him in a while, but trust me. When you see him, you'll know what to say.

"You don't understand," he muttered. He looked at me with regret. "The last thing I ever said to him was how much I hated him and how much of a fool he was."

I kneeled down beside him. His head was in his hands, and it looked like he was in pain. "Zuko, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay. My uncle hates me, I just know it. He loved and supported me in everyway that he could…." His voice drifted off. "How can I even face him?"

"Zuko, you're sorry for what you did right?"

"More sorry than I've ever been about anything in my entire life."

"Than he'll forgive you." Zuko looked at me and raised his eyebrows. "He will."

He stood up. "Thank you, Katara." My name rolled off of his lips. "I didn't really mean to run into you."

"You just wanted to crash the party?" I laughed.

"But I'm glad I did," he finished as if he hadn't even heard a word I said. "Because you're the only person I could talk to about this." He looked down at the ground. "I think you would like my uncle."

I nodded. "I think I would."

"I would invite you to meet him, but then you'd have to leave your boyfriend," he sneered at the word. "I'd better get back to my car before someone tries to steal it."

"Where is it?" I asked.

"Parked on the side of the road."

"I doubt anyone's going to steal it," I said softly.

"Yeah well, you've never seen my car."

"Yeah I have."

He smirked. "Well, not the car I'm driving now."

"You have more than one car."

He shrugged. "This one was a birthday present."

"I'll have to see it one day," I said smiling.

"Hey! No one invited you!" I heard Haru scream behind me.

"Don't worry. I was just leaving."

"Yeah, you better be."

I looked at Zuko with panic in my eyes, silently begging him not to start a fight. He seemed to get what I was saying and walked away with a shrug.

Haru put his arm around me. "Let me show you the game room."

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorited. You guys are awesome!


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. Life has been crazy recently! So I apologize for it being a while and for this being kind of short again. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

As amazing as the game room was, I had to wonder if Zuko's car would be better. He was a disease, completely contagious. I couldn't get him out of my mind no matter how hard I tried. It got so bad that when my father asked me what I wanted for dinner, "Zu-" slipped out before I clasped my hand over my mouth. Sokka raised his eyebrow and eventually shrugged it off. Dad didn't even catch it. But it was more than that. He consumed my every thought. I couldn't focus on anything.

I didn't understand why Zuko had told me about his uncle. I wasn't really even sure why he showed up. He could have done much more serious damage if he had wanted to crash the party.

It was as simple as I didn't understand him. He was bipolar, crazy! How could one person change so much from day to day? Sometimes he wasn't willing to do anything but glare at me, and today I felt like he had opened up to me.

The glimpse I got of the inside of him wasn't what I expected. I didn't think he'd be so…hurt or confused. It made me wonder how he really got that scar.

So the next day, I planned to ask him about it. That's definitely not as easy as it sounds. How do you ask someone what screwed up their face?

I woke up late. Well, late for me. I'm really not ever early. Sokka had already left with the car. I guess he had assumed that I wasn't going today? He could have at least had the decency to ask.

But he didn't, and I now I was stuck walking to school as if I wasn't already late enough. It was a beautiful day. The sun was bright, and the birds chirped like they always do in the morning.

I sighed. It probably wouldn't be that bad. I would only be an hour late at the most, so the only period I would really miss was math. I groaned. I guess talking to Zuko would have to wait until science.

I was wrong. On my way to school, what I think was a red corvette (I'm bad at cars) pulled to a stop beside me. The window rolled down, and Zuko smiled at me. "Want a ride?"

My eyes widened, and I got into the car. "This was a birthday present?"

He shrugged nonchalantly like we weren't sitting in a hundred thousand dollar car. "Dad was trying to make something up to me. I didn't even have a choice of color or style or anything."

"You sound like you're moping," I said teasingly. "This car is great!"

"Yeah but life sucks when you can't make choices for yourself."

"It's just a car."

He looked away from me (and the road I might add) and sighed. "Yeah, just the car."

"How did the thing with your uncle go?"

Thankfully, he focused back on the road and said, "It went well. He forgave me like nothing."

"I told you."  
He smiled. "Yeah, you did. I probably wouldn't have even gone otherwise."

I shook my head. "You would have, and it would have gone just as well." I looked at the side window, and we zoomed past the school. "You just sped past the school."

He grinned deviously. "I wasn't planning on going to school today, but you can if you want. Just say stop and I'll turn around."

I looked back at the school and then at him. I caught a quick glance at his eyes before he turned his head back to face the road and stupidly said, "Go."


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Hey! Thanks to the person who reviewed. You rock! Anyway, since I didn't post anything for a good stretch of time, I thought I'd post one more little, very short chapter to make up for it. Enjoy!

* * *

It was funny. When I was with him, I seriously lacked common sense. Sure, sometimes it could be good to be carefree, but carefree is one thing; being totally stupid is something different. I mean, really, I had no idea where he was taking me or what he planned to do when we got there.

It was just something about him. Everyone else seemed so one dimensional, but at the very least, this guy was bipolar. I mean, why else would he act so strangely?

I glanced over at him, his focus on me, both of his hands clenched on the steering wheel, and his shirt sleeveless, revealing not only his impressive muscles but scars delicately making a pattern down his arm. They seemed a brighter red than his face. They were less severe and newer, yet they were still much worse than Haru's and Jet's. I could still almost feel the pain caused by them.

"What?" he asked angrily. This guy definitely had a short fuse.

"Nothing," I instantly replied, and then with hesitation, I added, "How did you get those?"

"These?" he asked, laughing while shrugging and gazing back at the road. (I suppose he didn't do this during his driver's test.) "A little accident."

"An accident? What was it?"

He glared at me, and it burned through me. "Forget about it now," he commanded, annunciating each word distantly so the message would really get through.

I got the hint/demand but decided to ignore it. This guy couldn't tell me what to do. I would force the answer out of him at some point. "So when you get in fights, are those accidents too?"

He growled lowly under his breath, but his voice remained deceivingly calm. "I don't know what you mean."

"I think you do. What happened to Haru and Jet when you got in a fight with them?"

"Nothing," he snapped.

"Spontaneous combustion then?" I asked sarcastically.

"Must have been."

I was the one glaring at him. Maybe he should be getting some spontaneous slapping silly from water then. I think I could make the water do that.

Something inside of me clicked. What if what I was doing with the water was what he was doing with the fire? Now how was I going to ask him about that without sounding like a lunatic? What if I was wrong and he just had a lighter or something? That would certainly be embarrassing.

So how was I going to ask the angry boy beside me if he was a freak?


	19. Chapter 19

I decided that I am, indeed, a coward. I couldn't find the words to speak, and he was so angry he couldn't look at me. He held onto the steering wheel, his knuckles white until finally I said, "I think I know what you do."

His golden eyes glared at me with such an intensity that I wanted to hide into the seat. His anger, though, was just a mask to hide the shock and amusement that was running through his mind. He didn't think I could guess, or at the very least, he was positive that I could never be right. I wasn't so sure myself.

"You….you c-control fire," I stammered. "Don't you?"

He snorted. "What do you mean?"

"You can make it do what you want. It _follows_ you."

"That couldn't have been your first guess."

"So I'm right?" I asked hopefully.

"You're crazy," he remarked, and I felt my spirits drop onto the floor and shatter into a million pieces like a crystal glass vase being smashed upon cement. I was so stupid. How could I just say something so foolish like that?

He pulled the car down a small dirt road, and after ten minutes we pulled into a grass field. He got out of the car and slammed the door behind him. I stayed in the car, unsure of what he was doing, but he came around to my side and opened it for me. "You were right though."

I raised my eyebrows. "Then why did you deny it?"

He gave a wicked half-smile. "I didn't. I only called you crazy."

I narrowed my eyes but shrugged it off. "Why are we here?"

He shrugged too. "How did you guess that so easily?"

"I asked you a question," I answered stubbornly.

"My answer depends on your answer," he replied smoothly, nearing me.

"Show me what you can do first."

He turned his back to me, and an explosion of fire was released from his fingertips as it lit up the sky and trees in its orange light. The heat wave hit me like a brick wall, and I put my hand up to shield my face from the heat. I could only imagine what would happen if he let that out when he was in one of those fights. He could incinerate someone on the spot.

He turned around and lowered his hands down in front of him with a cocky smile.

"I can't do anything like that," I replied softly. "I control water, but there is none of that here."

Zuko shook his head. "There's water in the plants, and it's in the air too. If you think about it, there is even water in every human."

I laughed. "May I borrow some water from you then?"

"The grass seems much more willing."

He was right though. The water followed my commands even though it was ripped out of the plant.

I looked over at him, and he nodded encouragingly.

We worked for hours, and finally, I just collapsed on the ground. He laid down beside me and rested his head on his arms. "You did good today. Maybe next time we can duel."

"What makes you think there'll be a next time?" I asked teasingly.

"Oh yes, school is the much better option here."

I sighed. "I still don't like to skip class."

"You'll get used to it."

I sighed. "So how do you know such about…water?" I asked, trying to find the word of whatever abnormal thing was happening with us.

He snickered. "It's called waterbending. You're a _waterbender_. See I'm a firebender, and my father always made us study the other elements, so that if we ever ran into any of them, we could…" he stumbled and then paused.

"So you could what?"

He looked away. "Eliminate them."

I felt the cold knife of panic in my chest as I sat up. "What?"

He shook his head. "I'm not going to hurt you."

I sighed with relief, lowering my body back to the ground. He was so much better at this bending stuff than I was. He would kill me easily.

"I knew something was up with you. Azula didn't catch it though."

"How?"

"The day you came in dry when it was pouring was one thing. Besides people don't have that color of blue eyes."

"And normal people don't have gold eyes."  
He sighed regretfully. "I know."

"So why didn't Azula notice me too then? I think she would have no qualms of 'eliminating' me."

He smirked sadly. "No, she wouldn't. She never really studied water because hundreds of years ago, they were all destroyed by Zuko I. There was supposed to be none left."

"Zuko the first?" I asked.

"My namesake."

I shivered, but he grabbed my hand and stared at me intensely again. "Nothing will ever happen to you. I'll make sure of it."

And I knew that he would.


	20. Chapter 20

That night I took a bath. I sunk into the steaming water in the tub, feeling the water and soaking in it. I was no longer scared of it. I _welcomed_ it.

I began playing with the water, first thinking of my family. Could they do the same thing with water as I could? Or was I special? I thought about asking them but then decided against it. If they couldn't do it, they would think I was crazy, and if I showed them, I wasn't sure what they would do. Call me a witch and let me burn on a stake, I thought ruefully, laughing at the absurd ideas running through my head. I don't think they would care but how would they ever be able to think of me the same? What if they wanted me to stop?

I shook my head. I couldn't stop. Not now. It was as addicting as Zuko, an equally powerful drug. Waterbending made me feel like I never had before: calm, beautiful and free.

Plus, if Zuko was right and his father and sister would be willing to kill me at any moment, didn't I have the right to practice what I could use to protect myself? Azula wouldn't hesitate to hurt me, a pathetic "peasant" in her eyes.

I gasped. What if Zuko thought of me as nothing but a peasant too? What if he was the hunter and I was the prey and he was just playing with his food? Maybe he was teaching me because he wanted more amusement when he finally fought me.

Or maybe I was losing my mind. Today he could have attacked me. Azula would have. She wouldn't waste an opportunity that was so precious. And if Zuko's namesake had allegedly wiped out all the waterbenders, then did that make me one of the only waterbenders in the world?

I shuttered. Why would Zuko's family want to destroy the other elements anyway? What did it matter?

"Katara!" Sokka screamed from downstairs. "Dinner!"

The water floating in the air fell to the tub as I grabbed a towel and stumbled out of the tub. I threw my pajamas on and ran downstairs.

"Hey, were you sick today?" Sokka asked. "I was going to wake you but then I changed my mind. After all, when you feel good, you usually end up waking me."

"Yeah, I didn't feel well."

"Oh really?" my father asked.

I nodded.

"So you stayed home all day?"

What was he _getting_ at? "Yes," I replied warily.

"I came home from work early," he started and I felt my heart drop. "You weren't home."

Oh snap. "I…was…getting medicine. I had a dire need." I couldn't help but smile as I thought of Zuko the day I followed him in the rain. I had a dire need for medicine. I felt a dire need for him.

"Dire?" Sokka laughed.

"Yes," I said somberly. "My fever was very high."

My father shrugged. I had never lied to him before so he trusted me. I winced. Maybe Zuko was a bad influence.

And maybe, just maybe, I didn't care.


	21. Chapter 21

Here I was walking into school, waiting and wanting since the second I left him to see him again. He sat there, alone in the lunchroom staring at a bright red apple he was twirling in his palm. A mysterious wind gently blew his dark hair. He looked up, suddenly sensing my presence, and his golden eyes sparkled as he looked at me. He was smiling, really smiling. Was it because he saw me?

I heard a haunting snicker, and then blinding pain erupted from my back. I felt myself falling, gasping, screaming, bleeding. Zuko stood above me, one arm slung around his sister. "Stupid, pathetic, weak waterbender."

"Peasant," his sister whispered, sounding almost snakelike. I felt myself falling in overwhelming blackness, and I woke up gasping.

Sokka burst through the door with a bat, taking a quick check of my room for mysterious people roaming about. He lowered the bat and sighed thankfully. "Thought someone was in your room."

"Yeah, no kidding, but a bat? Really? It seems primitive." I knew I was lashing out at him to keep from getting to the real issue: my nightmare about Zuko, a guy who I knew my brother hated.

"Maybe next time I won't come," he teased, leaning the bat on my bedside and sitting down beside me. "What's wrong sis?"

"Just a nightmare."

"It must have been terrible. You were screaming like crazy. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," I answered curtly.

He sighed, regretfully this time. "I'm always here."

"It's nothing. My brain is just trying to work things out. It's trying to make sense of things."

"At least give me a hint about what it was about."

"Zuko," I said sadly. I didn't want him to be the subject of my nightmares. Why couldn't I have dreamed pleasantly of him tonight?

"Katara, you know that if he so much as laid one finger on you I would beat him senseless."

I smiled. "I know. Thank you Sokka."

He kissed me on the forehead before he left.

The next morning, I woke up early. I ate breakfast and wrote a note to Sokka that I would walk to school. I knew I was being foolish to think that Zuko would mysteriously find me on the side of the road again but when did hopeful thinking ever hurt anyone?

I wasn't worried about Zuko hurting me. Not after yesterday. He could have done it already if he wanted but he didn't.

I made it to school without seeing any fancy sport cars or scarred firebenders. I waited outside of school until school was going to start. I headed in reluctantly. I guess I didn't really mind ditching school after all.

Math came, and Zuko smiled when he saw me. "Good morning," he said pleasantly.

"Is it?" I asked.

He laughed lowly as the teacher started his class. "Did something bother you this morning?"

"No," I said curtly.

"Not even not having someone to ditch with."

I gasped. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I think you do. You didn't want to come to school today. You wanted to spend time with _me_."

"You, sir, think too highly of yourself."

His smile widened. "No, my dear lady, I can just read you like a book. We can leave after this class. Just you and me. No one will ever know we left."

I shook my head. "Not after we already showed up."

"They won't care."

"My friends will."

"No, they won't."

"My brother will."

"Lie to him. Say you don't feel well."

"Not to Sokka."

"Katara please," Zuko's voice was even softer now.

"I can't. Not two days in a row."

"Katara and Zuko," the teacher said loudly, "is there something you'd like to share with the class?"

I turned my head from Zuko, feigning chagrin and disgust towards Zuko. "No."

I didn't see Zuko until I was heading for lunch. His sister and her friends sat with them. Both of Azula's friends were beautiful, but they weren't the ones he was looking at.

I raised my eyebrow. He smiled softly, and I felt a blush creep across my face. I turned my face away.

"Oh, who are you crushing on?" Suki asked, giggling. "Are you going to break up with Haru?"

"No, I'm looking at Haru."

"Katara," Suki said with a laugh, "Haru just came in the lunchroom through the opposite door. You're not looking at him."

"Suki," I moaned.

"Who is it?" she asked in an excited whisper.

"Suki, I like Haru."

She shrugged. "You'll spill eventually."

* * *

The next day I let Sokka drive me. We walked almost all the way into school together until Sokka saw Suki. He galloped to meet her. She giggled softly, and the smile on his face that stretched from one ear to the other made me smile. I was happy for him. For both of them. They made a cute couple.

A hand quickly wrapped around my waist and started to pull me into the bushes. I shrieked and a hand clapped over my mouth.

When my breathing calmed, the hand removed itself from my mouth. "Do you want to ditch?" he asked, and instantly, I knew it was Zuko.

"Do I have a choice?" I asked with a laugh. "Are you kidnapping me or something?"

He shook his head. "I don't know what I was thinking. I'm lucky you didn't pepper spray me or something. Didn't you even think of fighting back?"

"With what?" I asked softly.

"You _are_ a waterbender after all."

I shrugged and felt my eyes gravitate to his scar. It was so red. It hypnotized me. I reached out and felt my hand touch his damaged skin. He flinched but didn't pull me off. He closed his eyes. "How did you get this?" I asked, finally speaking my often repeated thought.

"A fight," he said vaguely.

"With who?"

He shook his head. "Does it matter?"

"Who, Zuko?"

He looked at me, eyes burning with passion. "My father."

"What?" I gasped.

"You heard me, Katara," he whispered, and I could hear the pain in his quiet voice.

"Zuko, I'm sorry."

"He wanted to teach me respect."

"Zuko…I'm so, so sorry."

His hand gently covered mine. "I've never told anyone that."

I waited for him to continue for I was speechless. The school bell rang loudly from somewhere inside.

"I guess that's the reason I "kidnapped" you," he said, using air quotes. "I care about you Katara. I end up telling you things I don't want people to know, but when you ask, it's like I can't say no."

We stood up and walked out of the bushes. He raised my lowered face with his hand. I gazed up into his breathtaking eyes. "May I or would your boyfriend kill me?"

"I don't think you have to worry about him," I murmured.

Zuko's lips met mine. First, it was softly, but then with more and more passion. He held me closely, and we kissed again and again. My heart raced. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling myself closer to his warm, warm body.

My brother's voice broke through my paradise. "KATARA!"

* * *

A/N: Thanks to all the followers and reviews! That means so much! You guys are awesome.


	22. Chapter 22

My lips snapped away from Zuko's like someone had thrown a bucket of ice water in my face. My heart instantly froze before filling with dread. No, this wasn't fair. Not now Sokka. Go away, I silently begged. Or let there be another Katara.

I turned away from Zuko's angry face and saw my brother storming toward us with such a vengeance that I literally flinched. Zuko's hand found its way into mine but I wasn't sure if it was to comfort me or literally the only way he wouldn't rip my brother's head off. His hand was _so_ hot like it was already on fire. I squeezed it tightly, refusing to let go. As angry as I was at him, I didn't want Sokka getting hurt, and I knew, I _knew_ that he was the only one that would be injured in a fight between the two.

Sokka saw the gesture, and his face turned blood red. "What do you think you're doing to my sister?" he screeched.

Zuko took a step forward and snarled. "What did it look like?" he hissed.

Sokka lunged forward, and I dove between them, begging Zuko with my eyes just to walk away. If I could reason with any of them, it was him. He might be short-fused, insanely angry boy, but my brother was not to be reasoned with. I had tried. Believe me.

"I don't want scum like you touching my sister!" Sokka bellowed.

Zuko growled similar to that of some ferocious animal, and I shuddered. "Why don't you try to stop me?" he threatened lowly, crouching down like he was ready to attack.

"Zuko please," I murmured. The two were both pressed up on either side of me and the proximity of each party to me fueled the other's anger.

"Katara, get out of my way," Sokka said, trying to push me out of the way.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Zuko yelled loudly, looking at both me and Sokka and trying to find the best way to maneuver around me to attack my brother.

"Stop!" I screamed and seeing that I was still being ignored, I screamed loudly at the top of my lungs highly incoherent things. Both took a step backward for the sake of their ear drums.

I turned to Zuko. "You can't hurt him without hurting me." The anger faded in his eyes and he stared down at the sidewalk in solemn silence.

"Sokka, it's alright," I said. "It's alright," I repeated. I wasn't sure what else to say, and maybe somehow, just saying it again would make it convincing.

His brow furrowed. "Katara, just last night, you were screaming like someone was murdering you," he stated. "Because you were dreaming of _him_ ," he sneered at the word.

My eyes flickered to Zuko who stared at me with mournful, wide eyes, trying to find some confirmation for his words.

Finally, I said, "I can't control my dreams." As if somehow that would make it better.

"So it's true?" Zuko asked softly.

My silence was taken as a yes. He physically flinched.

Sokka grabbed my hand and started pulling me toward the school building. "If I ever see you touching my sister or even looking at her in a way that I don't like, you're going to be in a world of hurt."

He dragged me away. Zuko made no move to stop him. He just stared after me regretfully as the wind blew strands of his hair gently across his face.

* * *

Sokka's fury didn't calm down during the school day, and Zuko never showed up. I guess he decided to skip without me. All day, all I thought of was him. All I wanted was him. Sokka couldn't understand that. Maybe that was just because I hadn't explained it to him.

When I saw Zuko again, would he understand? Dreams were nothing to be taken seriously. Of course, I had never dreamt of anyone else murdering me, but still, I had no control. I didn't believe that he would hurt me. He should know that.

When we got home, Sokka screamed until he lost his voice. I waited for him to finish and allow me time to explain, but he never stopped. He hardly even slowed. He was going to be a fun father, I thought sarcastically.

He said horrible things about Zuko and then about me: how stupid I was, how foolish, how evil Zuko was etc.

Finally, I stood. "Where are you going?" he rasped. At this point, he had almost completely lost his voice and was writing the rest of what he was going to say on a piece of paper. I don't know why I had taken this crap from him. Maybe it was because I felt so guilty about lying to him earlier. Maybe it was just because I needed something to distract me from Zuko.

"You don't understand," I replied as I began walking away.

"Then explain it to me Katara."

"You're wrong about him. I know you'll never believe that, but it's true."

"He's a terrible person Katara," Sokka countered in a mere whisper.

"You don't even know him," I responded instantly. "You're going off of rumors that you heard from your friends. Maybe Jet and Haru are the bad ones, not him."

"So you wanted him to kiss you?"

"He actually asked for my permission, yes."

Sokka's eyes narrowed. "You're lying."

"Why would I?" I asked angrily. "Zuko is not who everyone thinks he is."

"Then who is he?" Sokka asked softly, finally listening to me.

"He's sweet actually. He's a good person. He's protective. He's…hurt. Yeah, he's a bit of a hot-head, but," I shrugged. "So am I."

"How did you get to know him so much?" Sokka asked.

I looked away from him, knowing that if I was ever going to tell him, it was now. "At first, it was just classes, then we talked a little at Haru's party, and then…" I hesitated. "Promise you won't tell Dad?" I added as a side-thought.

"I can't do that Katara. If he did something to you…."

I grimaced. "No, it's not like that. The day that you left me at home and I told Dad later that night that I didn't feel well, do you remember that?" He nodded. "Well, I planned on going to school that day. I guess I just set my alarm wrong or something." I shrugged. "I decided to walk to school, and I suppose Zuko saw me walking on the sidewalk and offered to give me a lift."

Sokka's eyes narrowed. "Please tell me you didn't get in the car," he muttered, more to himself than me.

"I got in the car, but he drove past school because he said he was planning on ditching that day." Sokka's hands turned to white fists and his face was distorted with anger. He was assuming the worse. "I agreed to go with him. I don't know why. Anyway, he took me to this field."

Sokka put his hand out. "Enough Katara. I get the gist."

I shook my head. "No, you don't. The thing is Zuko and I are…benders." Sokka blankly looked at me. "It's the reason people come out burned during fights with Zuko."

"What are you saying?"

"Come upstairs with me. I have something to show you."

He followed me obediently up the stairs. I began filling the bath tub. As it filled he asked casually, "So what were you doing in the bush?"

I smirked, a little taken aback. "Nothing."

"Oh really?" he asked. "Because last time I checked, people didn't go into bushes for no reason."

"Sokka what do you want me to say? Zuko just pulled me into there. I don't know what he was thinking. The first time we even kissed was what you saw."

"Looked pretty passionate for a first kiss," he muttered.

I rolled my eyes.

The tub was full. I took a deep breath and looked at Sokka. "Now, what Zuko and I do is slightly different. He controls fire," I started pulling the water into the air.

Sokka flew back onto the tile behind him, eyes wide with either alarm or wonder it was hard to tell.

"I control water."

He looked at me with wild eyes and then back at the huge blob suspended in air. He started stammering breathily before becoming completely mute. I almost laughed. That was the first time that had ever had happened, I was sure.

He stared at me, as if confirming that I was indeed his sister. He looked dumbfoundedly back to the water and then me as if he just didn't know what to do.

Finally, he stared at me intently, questioningly, "So this is why Zuko kissed you?"

I laughed loudly. "No," I said with a smile. "I wanted that."

"And nothing happened in the field?"

I shook my head.

He leaned his head back on the tile like he was exhausted. "Katara," he finally said, "I don't know what to do."

"It's not a big deal."

His head snapped up. "Not a big deal? My sister can make water float! She learned it from some freaky guy that she now likes, not to mention that she's already dating one of my friends. She thinks it's no big deal," he scoffed. "What is it? Magic?"

I gasped, remembering my thought of my family calling me a witch and letting burn at a stake. "I'm not a witch Sokka," I snapped. "It's a natural ability. Zuko says that a long time ago, benders were more common than nonbenders. That was before air benders and water benders were wiped out by the Fire Nation though."

"And that is?" he asked.

"Well now? It's kind of Zuko and his family," I replied uneasily. "They're directly related to the leaders of the Fire Nation."

He flinched. "So are you a waterbender?" he asked, unsurely. I nodded. "And if they wiped out the water benders before, what would stop them from doing that now?"

I thought about it for a moment and hesitated before telling him, "Nothing."

"And you want to kiss him?" he screeched hysterically.

I blushed. "Zuko's the one that told me all of this. He's not going to hurt me."

"You say that now. Katara, I never want you to see him again."

"Sokka, that's not fair," I retorted angrily. "You don't know him."

"Katara, no. If I see you anywhere near him again, I'm telling Dad about this freaky little water thing you have going on here."

"So?" I asked.

"And then," he added, "I'll tell Dad all about Zuko and he's going to murder you… and then him." Sokka smiled at the thought. The only way he would be happier would be to do it himself. I grimaced. I would find a way around this. Somehow, I would.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for all of the follows and comments! You guys are awesome and I'm so glad you're enjoying the story. Hope you liked this chapter as well!


	23. Chapter 23

The next day at school, I gloomily drove with Sokka. He wouldn't let me walk ever again, he had told me. We sat in silence. It wasn't awkward, just angry. We had continued the argument for another two hours before Dad had come home. Sokka was unyielding. I could hardly look at him; I was fuming.

He dropped me off where Suki and a couple of other of our friends were standing. Haru came from behind me, wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into a kiss. It was so sudden; I could hardly react to it, though my first instinct was to push away.

"Katara, I bought you something," he told me. I faked a smile. Of course, I still liked Haru, but my boiling anger at Sokka and my yearning to talk to Zuko again were destroying every other capacity I had for emotion.

He handed me a small blue box. I held it in my hand, weighing it for a moment. A box this small would have to contain jewelry. I wondered if it would be wrong for me to accept this while my thoughts lingered on another man.

I opened it slowly, glancing up at Haru who was smiling eagerly. I mirrored his face, and he put his arm around my waist again.

Inside the box was a silver necklace with a heart made out of abalone. I gasped. "It's beautiful," I choked out, thinking 'It's too beautiful, too nice.'

He took it out of the box and came behind me. I pulled my hair out of the way. The necklace was much longer than my mother's necklace and fell somewhere on my chest.

He smiled, kissing me on the cheek. "It's perfect," he told me. "I was hoping it would be exactly that length. I had to find another chain. I didn't want it to be in the way of your mother's necklace."

"Haru, this is so sweet. What's the occasion?"

"No occasion needed to get something for my beautiful girlfriend." He kissed me again, and I felt sick to my stomach.

Maybe two minutes later, a teacher was hollering at Haru, asking him to come in and verify that a paper with no name was his. He asked to do it later, but they refused, saying that if wanted the grade at all, he had to come now. He reluctantly went away with them.

I stood there awkwardly, alone. I reached for my bag, which I had placed on the ground when Haru had given me the box, and planned to go over to Suki and talk for a few minutes before heading in. Sokka was already standing on one side of Suki, talking and laughing, but still eyeing me warily. I started heading over to them when a red corvette came screeching through the parking lot, straight towards me. It went past the road and onto the sidewalk. I stood there, frozen, motionless from shock. I heard gasps from behind me. The passenger door flew open. It was only two feet away from me. "Get in," came a voice, a very familiar voice.

I did without even looking back. I slammed the door behind me. The car flew forward and I saw my enraged brother chasing down the car in the side view mirror. Very quickly, he was just a small speck in the distance and then eventually nothing.

I fell back into the seat. Haru's necklace felt like it was burning my skin. I was hesitant to look over to my kidnapper. Perhaps I should to verify that I didn't jump in the car with just any lunatic but the lunatic that I was expecting, but I was terrified to move. Somehow I felt so very guilty.

He didn't say anything as we drove down the road. Did he see Haru kissing me? Did he know about the necklace? I wanted to peek over at him and look into his eyes. That's all I would need, but just the thought of looking over if he had seen…I felt ashamed. I should just break it off with Haru. It was wrong to lead him on. It was wrong to take his jewelry. It was wrong to feel this way about Zuko. It was wrong to leave my brother in the dust.

"Katara?" he finally asked, as if he was verifying that he stole away the right girl.

I nervously looked over. He wasn't mad or angry, perhaps for the first time in his life. I let go of the breath I hadn't realized I was holding in.

He still wasn't looking at the road. That was an extremely bad habit with him.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

He gazed at the road as he thought. Finally, he replied, "Anywhere you want."

"I don't know," I replied instantly.

"Something's wrong," he concluded and then added, "Nice necklace."

I tried peering into his eyes but they were somehow locked on the road. "Yeah," I said lamely.

"Where'd you get it?"

I grimaced. He finally looked over at me. He didn't know, did he? I could lie to him right now. That might be the best thing for Haru's life. But at the same time, he knew something was wrong…. Well at the moment, the thing dangling from my neck was what was wrong…oh and yes the oncoming murder from my brother.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything. Life has been soooo busy! Anyway, here is the next section. Sorry it's kind of short.**

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"Haru," I finally said. "He just gave to me."

Zuko cursed under his breath. His knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. "When are you breaking up with him?" came the harsh question.

Well, that wasn't what I was expecting him to say. I thought he'd get so much more violent. "I don't know," I answered unsurely.

"Katara," Zuko said, in almost a moan. "Do you _plan_ to break up with him?"

"Yes," I replied instantly.

"Then you shouldn't be accepting his jewelry," he scorned.

"That's what the problem is!" I retorted loudly. I closed my eyes, trying to block everything out.

"That's not the only problem," he added softly.

"I know," I said with a roll of the eyes. "There's my brother."  
"That may be, but I was talking about something else." His eyes lingered on the road. He didn't want to look at me as he said this.

Instead, he said nothing and pulled off the same back road where we had first practiced our bending. He got out of the door, opened mine, walked away from me and stared at the trees around us.

"So what is this other problem?" I asked, coming behind him.

He turned around, so that he was facing me, and took my hands. "Do you really have nightmares about me?"

My eyes widened.

"I know it's stupid," he stated instantly, "But it's been bothering me. I mean, dreams are usually developments of what your subconscious is thinking."

"Been taking physiology lately?" I asked with a laugh.

He turned his head away from me to try to hide his blush. I could still see it play across his face though as he said, "Well, actually I was kind of talking to my uncle about you."

I smiled. "Zuko, it was only a stupid dream, and it was mostly Azula too. I can't control my dreams. I don't know what to say." He frowned. "Zuko, I trust you." I placed my hand on his cheek and forced him to look at me. "Hey, I came with you. I'm here. If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have gotten in the car with you." This wasn't enough. I sighed. Fine. I would unleash my torrent on him. "My brother's going to kill me because of this. He would have killed me if I even looked at you the wrong way at any time today. I do have an amazing boyfriend that a lot of girls pine after, so I'm not desperate or anything. Sokka's probably going to tell my dad about this, so I might be grounded for years to come. I'm ditching school. I know some teachers already saw me, so I could get detention for this and a bunch of zeros in my classes. Let alone if my dad finds out about my ditching, now twice. And you know what?" He shook his head, looking at me warily. "I knew what I was getting myself into the moment I stepped into the car. I did it to be with you. I wanted to be with _you_ , and I don't care what happens after we leave here today. We were here together." He pressed his hand against the one I had on his face. "And you're worried about some stupid dream where your _sister_ attacked me. Silly boy," I said with a smile.

"Do you mean all of that?" he asked.

"Of course."

He leaned toward me and our lips met. "You're beautiful," he murmured softly as he went in for another kiss.


	25. Chapter 25

We practiced bending in the field for hours in between hours of goofiness. At the end of it, I laid down in the field. He laid beside me and held my hand, tracing patterns with his finger. It was twilight. The sky was orangey. I looked over at Zuko. My stomach was growling. We hadn't eaten lunch. I hadn't eaten breakfast.

"I want you to meet my uncle," Zuko commented.

"One day, yes," I agreed.

He rolled on his side to look at me. I did the same. "No today."

"Zuko, I have to be getting back home."

He rolled his eyes. "Technically, no, you don't." Now I rolled my eyes. "It won't take long, or it might. Your family is going to kill you no matter what so why not make the most of your last night of freedom. We'll go eat something and then meet him. Please Katara. You'll love him."

"My last night of freedom?" I scoffed.

"Maybe not," he agreed. "I couldn't go that long with my duel partner. Perhaps you could crawl out of your window and I could pick you up."

I laughed. "That's going to be fun."

"Please Katara," he murmured in my ear. I giggled, ripping water out of one of the plants and splashing him with it. He slightly recoiled, shocked. "What was that for?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"Oh the little water bender thinks she's so tough now." He lunged toward me and was suddenly on top of me faster than I could even process. He pinned my wrists down to the ground as he kneeled atop me. "My captive," he whispered. A kiss. "Mine." Another kiss. I tried to make it exaggerated as possible and as his hormones were distracting him, I threw him off of me, pulled water out of a tree and splashed him with a giant wave.

He fell backwards on the ground, dripping in icy cold water. "Yes she does," I replied, freezing the water. I knew he could have melted it easily, but he remained there, watching me as I approached.

I knelt down. "My captive," I repeated, stroking his hair out of his face. "Mine," I added with a kiss as he chuckled.

* * *

We pulled into the first restaurant we passed by. It was a small Italian restaurant, yet the parking lot was extremely packed. There seemed to be enough cars to fill twice the building's size. Maybe there was a basement.

"It seems a little crowded. Maybe we should just go to another one," I suggested, staying unmoving in the front seat.

Zuko said nothing and got out of the car, slamming the door on the way out. He came around and opened mine; that seemed to be another habit of his, one that I very much liked.

"We'll get a table," he assured me.

I raised one eyebrow but followed him to the front door of the building. We entered into a completely packed waiting room. All of the seats were completely full, and nearly twenty more people were standing, impatiently shifting their weight from foot to foot.

"Um, Zuko…" I started, reaching for his arm.

He clasped my hand and smiled at me as he pushed ahead to the receptionist. It was a man with black hair and golden eyes. He looked overwhelmed and looked up wearily, as if he couldn't take one more single group of people coming. I could see the words, "How many?" begin to form on his lips, but then recognition flashed in his eyes and he said, "Mr. Fire, so good to see you tonight. Two?" Zuko nodded and the man instantly grabbed two menus and told us to follow him.

Zuko looked back and gave me a cocky smile. I raised an eyebrow at him, but he said nothing and we followed behind the receptionist.

The receptionist led us to a back room, where there were only eight tables, only six of which were full. The room was quiet compared to the one we had just been in and the lighting was dark, nearly romantic. There was a small flickering candle on the table. He must have seen the look on my face because he said, "The owner is a friend of the family."

I shook my head slowly. "This place is nice."

He seemed somewhat sheepish and he looked down at the table for a moment before glancing into my eyes, golden eyes burning. "Can I ask you to promise me something?" he murmured.

I nodded. "Of course, anything."

"Tomorrow, you'll break up with Haru. And give him his necklace back. I don't want to see that thing."

I sighed. "It would make me feel better if I did that too."

He wickedly smiled. "And tomorrow I'm going to do something too."

"And what's that?" I asked smiling.

"I'm going to stand up to your brother."

My eyes widened. "Zuko, no, you can't."

"Someone has to and he has to understand that we, we're an….an us." I liked the way _us_ sounded.

"My brother doesn't listen to reason," I reminded him, grabbing a bread stick from the basket the waiter just brought over.

"Well neither do I," he remarked. "I'll make him understand. I can be very persuasive."

I nibbled on the bread. I knew that I should be nervous, that even the thought of Zuko and I being together would set Sokka completely off the edge, but somehow I felt secure, that Zuko had everything under control.

"I'll get you a better necklace," he added, taking a piece of bread himself.

I shook my head. "I don't care about the necklace."

"But you'd care about mine." It wasn't a question, just a statement.

The waiter came and took our order, and the food was brought out quicker than I think it would have been for normal customers.

After we ate, he smiled at me. "Ready to meet my uncle?"


	26. Chapter 26

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews! You guys are the best!

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When the waiter came back, Zuko murmured quietly to him and the man nodded understandingly before turning and walking away. "What was that about?" I asked warily.

He smiled. "That? That was nothing."

All of sudden, a fat old man with a booming voice appearing, saying, "Nephew! How nice of you to stop by and with such lovely company too!"

I felt my cheeks blush and saw that Zuko's did too.

"It's Katara, right?" the old man continued. "I've heard so much about you!" he exclaimed, while Zuko placed a hand on his face and turned away to hide the blush that was creeping across his face.

"This is my uncle, Iroh," Zuko explained, though no explanation was necessary.

"So nice to meet you," I responded, taking in all of the man. A long beard and balding head, the slight pudginess: he barely resembled Zuko at all, except for the striking gold eyes that shone as brightly as Zuko's. Did that mean that this man was a firebender too?

"We have so much to talk about," Iroh said. "We should return to my house and discuss it over tea."

* * *

Admittedly, I was a little nervous about going to Iroh's house. His gold eyes shimmered exactly like Zuko's and Azula's; surely he must be a firebender. So perhaps, logically entering the house of someone who was basically a stranger with two firebenders whose family wanted to eliminate people like me, wasn't the greatest, but with Zuko I felt secure.

So I knew that the butterflies in my stomach were not from fear, though perhaps they should have been. I had to wonder how much Zuko had told this man about me. Did Iroh know that I was a bender as well? And if did, had Zuko told him or had my eyes been the only clue?  
We had driven to Iroh's in separate cars, but Iroh's was remarkably similar to Zuko's, another wild sports car that easily was worth over a hundred thousand dollars. Obviously, Zuko and his family were extremely wealthy. But did Zuko consider me poor?

His sister certainly did. What did she call me? Something on the lines of a "worthless peasant."

Iroh's house was borderline a mansion, nearly twice as large as my house. It stood by itself and there was no visible sign of any neighbors for miles. We had driven out a bit and his house hovered near the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean.

"It's beautiful," I remarked, stepping out of the car. Zuko merely shrugged.

Inside was just as beautiful, if not more, than inside. The room that we first stepped into was a sort of living room, spread out through most of the first floor. Black and white sofas and chairs were scattered about, and a fireplace roared steadily in the corner. To the left, the room seemed to me open up to a kitchen, one that had recently been used.

"Come. Sit. Sit," Iroh said, his amiable voice booming loudly. "Would you like some tea? I know I do." And he went off into the kitchen.

Zuko sat down on a sofa nearest to the fire and motioned for me to join. The second I got within arm length of him, he reached out and grabbed, pulling me into his arms. I giggled as he kissed me on the cheek.

Iroh came back in the room, and I tried to pull away, embarrassed at this embrace in front of Zuko's uncle, but Zuko refused to let me go.

"So a waterbender?" Iroh laughed, and I blushed. "No, dear one, don't take that the wrong way. I never thought I would be able to meet an actual waterbender. I consider this a true honor. And Zuko says you're pretty good."

"Oh I'm sure he's just saying that," I replied modestly, swishing my hand as if I could physically disregard the compliment.

Zuko raised an eyebrow at my remark, and Iroh merely chuckled. "It doesn't sound like my nephew to say something he didn't mean, even if he was smitten." Iroh winked, and I giggled nervously. Zuko's eyes widened and he went rigid with embarrassment.

"May I see a demonstration?" Iroh asked. Either he was ignoring his nephew's embarrassment or completely ignorant of it. I honestly assumed the former.

"Of course," I agreed, standing. Since there was no water in the room that was readily available, except for Iroh's tea, I pulled some water out of the air. I bent it to my will, freezing it and thawing it, creating shapes. Iroh's eyes were widened in awe and when I finished, he enthusiastically clapped.

"Never in my life did I think I would have the privilege of meeting a waterbender. It's true art in motion. Though I must say, you move more like a firebender." He smiled at that statement, glancing quickly at Zuko.

"Is that necessarily a bad thing?" I asked.

He shook his head quickly. "Of course not, but I have some ancient manuscripts that you might find interesting. I'll go get them." He quickly looked at the two of us and with a knowing smile, headed out of the room.

"Well that was horrifying," Zuko said, the moment the door closed. "At least he didn't try to call me Junior again."

"You're a Junior?" I asked with a laugh.

His eyes widened in horror again as he realized he had said his thought aloud. He quickly turned his head away. "No, I'm not. No one calls me that. It's just…a really long story."

I shrugged. "He seems sweet."

"In his own devious way," Zuko replied, smirking.

Iroh entered the room again and seemed surprised to find us not in some intimate embrace. I stood and met him at a table where he laid the manuscripts out. On the crumpled pages were detailed descriptions of how to do different water bending moves, ones that I hadn't even known existed. "This is incredible!" I exclaimed.

"They're yours," Iroh said.

"What?" I asked incredulously.

"I'm sure you'll get much more use out of them, young one," he said with a smile.

"Thank you!" I squealed, hugging him without a second thought. He seemed surprised at first but then accepted the hug.

"You're welcome," he replied.


	27. Chapter 27

**Hey guys! First of all, let me just say that I'm sorry it's been forever since I've posted anything. But thank you guys for the wonderful reviews. I'm so glad you like the story and I always like to hear people's opinions! Anyway, enjoy this next chapter!**

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"Moving like a firebender is a compliment," Zuko remarked the second we got in his car.

I laughed. "Not the way he said it," I teased.

"Stupid waterbender," he muttered back jokingly.

He began driving in the direction of my house I assumed. I was still a little new to the area and Iroh's house had been in an area of town I had never been.

I glanced up at the sky, noticing how the city lights were drowning out the stars. The moon was absent from the sky; that thought depressed me.

A few minutes had passed before Zuko admitted, "I don't really want to take you home."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Zuko, it's getting kind of late. I know I'm already in trouble, especially with my brother."

"What if we just never went home," he mused. "We're both smart. We could handle ourselves."

I had to seriously look at him to determine if he was joking or not. Still, his face seemed completely sincere. "You'd just leave your family?" I asked.

"I hate my family," he instantaneously replied. "Uncle's not included in that, of course," he added as a side thought.

I sighed. "Well I don't. Maybe Sokka's is going to freak on me but I could never just leave."

Now it was Zuko's turn to sigh. "He's going to make it difficult for us to be together."

I actually laughed. "Trust me. I can handle my brother."

Zuko raised an eyebrow and his golden eyes lit up. "The waterbender's got spunk."

In a few minutes we came to my house, and with a loud sigh, Zuko stopped the car. He leaned closer to me and kissed me gently on the lips. "I'll see you tomorrow at school."

* * *

I almost wished I had taken Zuko up on his offer to leave forever. I walked into my house, and there on the sofa were my father and brother. Neither were talking or doing anything for that matter, just sitting there staring absently in front of them. Both of their faces were drawn in anger, anger that had been there long enough that it almost could be permanent. Both were so tense and yet neither moved a single muscle when I opened the door.  
There were two ways to go about this. Sneak upstairs although I knew they had already heard me or I could just nonchalantly walk past them as if nothing had happened. I chose the latter.

I strolled right past them, nodding as I went, like nothing had ever happened. It seemed like it was going well at first; I was almost past them, and then my father coolly said, "Where do you think you're going, young lady?"

My back was to them and I slowly spun around, with the wariness that one has when dealing with a wild animal. "I was just getting a glass of water before I went to sleep," I replied in the same cool tone.

Sokka stood up. "What is wrong with you?" he screamed.

"What Sokka? What is so bad about him?"

"I saw him mauling you!"

"Mauling?" I repeated astonished. "He kissed me! You didn't seem to have a problem with Haru kissing me. What's the difference? Why do you hate him? You don't even know him."

"I've heard things."

"And you've told me them. But they're wrong. They're all wrong. I'm not some stupid girl who can't figure things out for myself."

"You jumped into a car with him. He literally pulled onto the sidewalk. You skipped school for him!"

I saw my father flinch when Sokka said this. "You skipped school?" he asked.

"Only once before today," I replied.

"He's a bad influence."

"I wouldn't have had to today if you'd just let us be together."

"I'm not letting that freak touch you ever again." Sokka seemed more determined than my father.

"Do you really like him Katara?" my father asked. His voice seemed strained.

"Very much."

"And you trust him?" he asked.

I nodded.

My father placed a hand on my shoulder. "Then I trust him. Just don't skip school ever again and tell me when you're going out with him."

"Thanks Dad," I replied.

"What?" Sokka hollered. It looked like a vein was ready to burst on his forehead.

"Sokka, your sister is a very smart girl. I trust her to make good decisions."

Sokka glared at me before bursting out, "He's taught her magic!" Both my father's and my eyes widened.


	28. Chapter 28

**Hi guys! So I'm not dead and this story isn't hanging in limbo. Or at least not anymore. 2016 has been truly killing me, and I honestly forgot about this for a little. Sorry! But tonight I randomly looked at this story's comments and I remembered how much I loved this story and you guys. So many nice reviews! I wrote this late at night, so again it's kind of short, but I will try to post another (much longer) chapter within the next couple of days. I really hope you guys didn't give up on this story and I'm sorry it's been months since I've updated. Anyway, enjoy!**

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Half of me wanted to wrap my hands around Sokka's neck and strangle him. The other part was too shocked to even move.

"Admit it!" Sokka said, pointing an accusing finger in my face.

I swatted it away with the back of my hand. "It's not magic!" I instantly retorted.

Unfortunately for me, that seemed to imply that there was something amiss that I wasn't telling my dad. "Katara," my dad said, staring at me warily, "you know what he's talking about?"

Sighing, I looked away from them both. "Yes," I admitted begrudgingly, "but it's _not_ magic. Sokka is, like usual, overreacting."

"Am not," he muttered under his breath.

"So what is this not-magic magic that has gotten your brother so upset?" my dad asked, raising an eyebrow.

I deeply sighed one last time. There was no way I was getting around this. At least, if I told him, there would be no more secrets. If my dad trusted me with Zuko, then he should trust me with this too. "First of all, it's not some strange voodoo." I looked pointedly at Sokka. "No sacrifices, no chanting or potions. It's a natural ability that some people have. It's called bending. Basically, certain people are able to control different elements."

"Elements?" my father asked. He looked like he either didn't believe me or what I was saying made no sense to him at all. If anything, it looked like he just wanted to go sit down, like somehow the last five minutes had tired him.

"Fire, water, earth and air." I walked over to the fridge and retrieved a water bottle. I twisted off the cap. "I can control water," I told him, as I bended the water out of the bottle and into the air. It floated in a little orb a few inches above my hand. "I actually discovered this without Zuko's help. He's just been helping me learn how to control it." I glanced up at my father. He was grasping the table; he looked like he was going to fall over.

"See!" Sokka exclaimed. "If that's not some weird magic, I don't know what is."

Dad seemed to ignore him. "If it's a natural ability, why haven't I heard of this before?" my father asked suspiciously.

I shrugged. "I don't know. It apparently used to be more common, but somehow, over time, there have been less and less benders."

My father placed his hand on his forehead and shook his head. "This is not what I expected to hear. Why did you two keep this from me?"

Sokka and I exchanged a glance. "Well, I knew it seemed kind of strange, and Sokka reacted terribly to it, so I guess I was just nervous about how you would react."

He looked up at me and smiled. "If it's a part of you Katara, then of course I'm going to accept it." He pulled me into a hug, and I held back a tear as I squeezed him back.

"Thanks Dad," I said.

"Unbelievable," Sokka said. "Zuko can apparently control fire. You're okay with her just spending time with some flame-wielding maniac?"

"Sokka, enough. Your sister is a responsible girl, arguably much more responsible than you. I trust her to make the right decisions."

For once in his life, Sokka was speechless.

"Goodnight you two," my father said before heading up the stairs.

I glanced over at my brother and couldn't help sticking out my tongue before going upstairs myself.


	29. Chapter 29

The world was a beautiful, wonderful, fantastically magical place. The next morning I called Zuko just because I could. He picked up immediately.

"Katara?" he asked, concern palpable in his voice. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is better than alright!" I exclaimed. "My father is okay with us. He's okay with bending!"

"Really?"

"Yes!" I shrieked.

There was a pause on the other side of the phone before he said, "I was not expecting that. Okay. I'll be over in five minutes."

"Wait, what?" I asked in confusion.

"I'll drive you to school then."

My heart leapt in my chest in excitement, but I still stupidly said, "You don't have to do that. Besides we don't live five minutes apart. It's more like fifteen or twenty."

"With a little speeding, it's five. I'm coming. Besides I really want to see the look on your brother's face."

We both chuckled.

"Yeah, you're right," I agreed. "That'll make anything worth it."

"See you soon," he said before hanging up.

I sighed in contentment. Zuko and I could openly be together now, and Sokka could no longer meddle. The only hitch right now was that I had to break up with Haru. He was such a nice guy and he actually seemed to care about me, so I was not looking forward to the conversation where I broke up with him. In fact, I suppose if I thought about it, I should have broken up with him a long time ago. It honestly wasn't that I was stringing him on or that I was the type of girl to have more than one guy at a time. Honestly, it sounded awful, but I kind of forgot about Haru when I was with Zuko. I kind of forgot about Haru in general.

I held his necklace in his hand. It was simple. I just had to return it and tell him I didn't feel the same way he did. And pretend that the look on his face wouldn't make me feel like I was drowning in guilt. Plus, how was he going to take it when he saw me with Zuko? How was anyone going to take it when they saw me with Zuko? He was the social outcast after all.

Whatever. It didn't matter. Zuko and I would be together.

"Katara!" my father called. "There's a young man down here to pick you up."

"Coming!" I called, dashing down the stairs.

Sokka was in the kitchen, glaring at Zuko. My father was talking to Zuko about something.

"Ready?" I asked, grabbing Zuko's hand and pulling him out the door. "We're going to be late to school."

My father only shook his head and smiled.

His corvette was outside, and we got in.

"You know, I've never taken this to school," Zuko said as he put it into gear.

"I can't skip again," I instantly replied, knowing where he was going to go with this conversation. "I promised my father."

There was a short pause before he nodded.

I held up the necklace Haru had given me. "The first thing I need to do today is break up with Haru. I wanted to do it in person so I could return this to him."

Zuko nodded once as he passed a car. Thank God he was actually looking at the road while he did it.

We pulled up to school, and I couldn't help but notice that everyone's heads turned when the expensive beauty of a car pulling into the parking lot.

"This is why I don't take this car to school," he mumbled as he pulled to the curb and put it in park. "Why don't you get out now and go find Haru? I really don't want to be there when it happens."

I opened the door. "Okay. See you in class then?" He nodded.

People looked at me inquisitively as I got out but no one said anything. Most people were trying to peer into the driver's seat and see whose car it was.

I saw Suki and walked up to her.

"Well, that's not Sokka dropping you off," she said with a smirk.

"No," I agreed. "Do you know where Haru is?"

"Finally breaking up with him?" she asked, still smiling knowingly.

I nodded.

"He's at his locker, I think," she said. "Seriously, who was that? I couldn't see because of the tinted windows."

"It's Zuko," I said, watching for her reaction.

Her eyes got really wide before she started laughing. "That makes sense. Sokka didn't tell me who it was when you drove off yesterday, but he kept muttering about some no-good lowlife, hotheaded idiot."

"Yeah, that sounds like Sokka," I muttered in agreement.

"So, you and Zuko though? I didn't take you for the type to like bad boys."

"He's not a bad boy," I defended instantly.

"To be fair, he pulled his car up onto the sidewalk yesterday so the two of you could skip school."

I had nothing to say to that.

She laughed again. "As long as your happy, Katara. You two should still sit with us at lunch."

"I don't know," I replied. "I don't think it's healthy to put Sokka and Zuko anywhere near each other for the moment."

She nodded. "Good point."

I took a deep breath. "Alright. I'm going to go talk to Haru."

"Good luck!" she called as I walked into the building.

I could hear my heartbeat loudly inside of my head. I didn't know why I was so nervous. I knew that this was the right thing to do. Maybe it was because I had never broken up with someone before. I had never even had a real boyfriend before Haru, so breaking up with someone was uncharted territory. I really didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I knew that at the same time, if I didn't break up with him now, I would probably only hurt him more.

I saw him at his locker, taking out books and putting them in his bag. When he saw me, he lit up immediately. "Katara!"

"Hey, Haru," I replied halfheartedly and before he could say anything else, I added, "We need to talk."

He raised an eyebrow. "Well that doesn't sound good."

"It's not. Haru, you are an amazing guy, but I don't feel the same way about you that you obviously feel about me." I handed him back the necklace and he numbly took it. "I'm sorry."

"You're breaking up with me?" he finally asked. I could see the hurt in his eyes; it was like I had kicked a puppy.  
"Yes, I'm sorry," I said quickly.

"Wow, okay, I…um…wow," he stuttered out.

I didn't know what else to say, and I wasn't sure if I should just leave him like this, but at the same time, all I wanted to do was walk – no, run – away. "Are you going to be okay?" I asked hesitantly.

"Me?" he asked unsurely. "Oh, no I'm fine." He gave a weak smile.

"I'm sorry Haru," I said one last time before turning and walking away.

I felt awful. Was it always this bad breaking up with someone? I glanced back at Haru. He was just staring at the necklace in his hand. He was so nice and so thoughtful. I couldn't help that I didn't feel more for him though.

I rounded a corner and was met with Zuko, casually leaning against a locker near the door of our classroom. "Thank you, Katara," he said with a smile.

Had he doubted that I was going to break up with him?

"Come on," he said, pushing off of the locker as he stood. "Math awaits."

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 **Hey guys! So I actually managed to get out another chapter in a few days just like I said! I have actually surprised myself. Anyway I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Katara has to break up with Haru at some point, right?**

 **Thanks for everyone who has been reading this story!**

 **James Dragonmancer - Your comments never cease to make me smile. I'm so glad that you've stuck with my story this far, and thanks so much for always commenting!**


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